Protected and conserved areas are vital places for both nature and people. They play a critical role in halting and reversing biodiversity loss. They also provide important cultural, spiritual and economic benefits, supplying ecosystem services that help to safeguard the planet for the future of humanity. In December 2022, Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity agreed to conserve 30% of Earth’s land and seas by 2030. This commitment is referred to as Target 3 and is one of 4 goals and 23 targets to tackle the global nature crisis under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The Protected Planet Report 2024 is the first official evaluation of global progress on all elements of Target 3 since the Framework was adopted in 2022.
Construction’s shift to sustainability continues to draw attention as financing models increasingly support change across the supply chain. Lincoln CDM Services has adopted invoice finance to strengthen collaboration between contractors and suppliers, ensuring delivery of sustainable building practices. Stable funding is proving as critical as low carbon construction materials or energy-efficient buildings, safeguarding long-term adoption of sustainable building design.
Concerns over waste management are intensifying, with industry experts warning that construction and demolition waste could stall progress toward net zero Whole Life Carbon. The lack of clear policy and delayed investment is restricting recycling and reuse, undermining circular economy in construction efforts. Greater focus on end-of-life reuse in construction and resource efficiency in construction is now seen as essential to protect achievement of carbon footprint reduction goals.
Repurposing of outdated fossil fuel infrastructure in the US and Europe highlights potential pathways for the sector. Projects converting coal plants into data centre energy hubs illustrate how circular construction strategies can bring new value to redundant assets. This approach reduces embodied carbon in materials, cuts the carbon footprint of construction, and reinforces sustainable construction as a driver of wider decarbonising the built environment efforts.
Urban development continues to be shaped by transport planning, with the Energy Saving Trust publishing guidance for local authorities to advance low carbon design strategies. Sustainable urban development requires integration of mobility solutions with eco-design for buildings and green infrastructure. These measures influence building lifecycle performance and provide opportunities for net zero carbon buildings through coordinated planning.
Architectural projects are also driving awareness of environmental sustainability in construction. The planned Sustainability Hall in Taipei from architect Tadao Ando demonstrates how sustainable architecture can combine sustainable material specification with cultural value. It reinforces the role of sustainable building design in shaping public understanding of Whole Life Carbon Assessment and sustainable design.
Across these developments, industry leaders emphasise the need for lifecycle assessment and life cycle thinking in construction to ensure transparent benchmarks. From embodied carbon measurement to life cycle cost analysis, the sector is defining pathways toward carbon neutral construction. The alignment of finance, design innovation, and circular economy strategies is demonstrating that green construction and eco-friendly construction are becoming both achievable and commercially sustainable.
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