Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a pressing global concern that requires attention and creative solutions. Young people today will face the consequences of inaction and increased risks of AMR. The Quadripartite, which consists of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), strongly believes that young people can play an important role in bringing together wider society and stakeholder groups to tackle AMR. Young people, as agents of change, can raise awareness about AMR and advocate for local and global solutions. Youth were also identified as one of four priority target audiences during two global consultations on raising awareness about AMR, organized in 2022 by the Quadripartite. In response, the Quadripartite has developed this practical toolkit for engaging youth in AMR, based on consultations with young people themselves. The aim of this practical toolkit is to equip youth-led networks and youth-serving organizations with resources to engage young people in AMR communication, education and campaigns for awareness-raising, advocacy and behaviour change. The practical toolkit consists of 11 tools, a resource pack and case studies of good practices of youth engagement in the AMR response.
Sustainable construction is moving from aspiration to measurable delivery, with whole life carbon, embodied carbon and whole life carbon assessment now central to investment, procurement and design decisions. Coventry’s £1.3m solar thermal farm, set to install nearly 2,000 collectors at a manufacturing research centre, shows how low carbon design can cut operational emissions in heat-intensive estates. The scheme strengthens the case for net zero carbon buildings that account for life cycle cost, building lifecycle performance and lifecycle assessment rather than relying solely on future grid decarbonisation.
Surrey’s new carbon-neutral fire station demonstrates how sustainable building design can combine resilience, staff wellbeing and carbon footprint reduction in a 24-hour public asset. Its performance will be judged by real occupancy, energy demand and maintenance data, reinforcing the shift towards net zero whole life carbon and energy-efficient buildings. For clients and designers, the lesson is clear: sustainable design, eco-design for buildings and low carbon building strategies must work under operational pressure, not only at planning or certification stage.
Scotland’s call for construction skills investment to unlock more than £100bn of energy and infrastructure work exposes a critical barrier to decarbonising the built environment. Pipelines for green infrastructure, carbon neutral construction and sustainable urban development depend on trained labour, better procurement and reliable supply chains. Without capacity, environmental sustainability in construction risks stalling despite strong demand for green construction, eco-friendly construction and sustainable building practices.
Investor evidence is sharpening the commercial case. MSCI data showing climate-ready firms outperforming peers by 25 percentage points over five years links net zero carbon, resource efficiency in construction and carbon footprint of construction to balance-sheet value. Solar panel savings during winter weaken the argument that onsite renewable systems are seasonal extras. The next phase of sustainable architecture will be defined by life cycle thinking in construction, circular economy principles, circular economy in construction, low embodied carbon materials, sustainable material specification and transparent environmental product declarations (EPDs).
Material choices remain decisive. Low carbon construction materials, green building materials, renewable building materials and green building products can reduce embodied carbon in materials, cut the environmental impact of construction and support end-of-life reuse in construction. BREEAM, BREEAM v7 and comparable standards will increasingly need to reward verified performance, circular construction strategies and low-impact construction rather than design intent alone. The sector is being judged by heat, skills, utilisation, returns and proof of lower carbon across the full building life cycle.
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