As our founder and chairman @AlGore said yesterday:
For climate advocates across the country, the outcome of this election means that all of us must find ways to redouble our efforts and find bipartisan solutions to the climate crisis that create jobs, promote prosperity and safeguard the future of humanity.
In a moment such as this, it is important to remember that all major reform efforts, from civil rights to the climate movement, suffer dark days. And this is surely one. We can mourn a loss, but we can’t linger in despair. Our planet doesn’t have time for that. Now more than ever, this movement needs engagement and leadership from all corners of the country.
During a down moment in the struggle for civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr. said something about overcoming days like this: “If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving.”
We know the line to solutions is never straight or easy. But we have won major victories in tackling the climate crisis and reducing climate pollution in our country, and we will again.
My greatest source of hope comes from the courage and commitment of grassroots leaders and advocates in the U.S. and around the world who are relentlessly pushing for progress.
Onward.
Global investment in sustainable construction is accelerating, with a near $2 trillion pipeline of clean industrial projects reshaping the environmental sustainability in construction. Decarbonising the built environment now centres on reducing embodied carbon and whole life carbon across cement and steel production. Institutional capital is driving innovation toward low carbon construction materials and renewable building materials, allowing low carbon design principles to progress from concept to large-scale implementation. Green construction methods are expanding through eco-friendly construction strategies that prioritise life cycle thinking in construction, resource efficiency in construction, and circular construction strategies designed to reduce the carbon footprint of construction.
Cities are positioning sustainable urban development as a core element of climate resilience planning. Global municipalities are seeking more than $105 billion in funding for green infrastructure and nature-based solutions that deliver measurable improvements in building lifecycle performance. These initiatives increasingly require whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment frameworks to align with net zero carbon buildings targets. The uptake of environmental product declarations (EPDs), BREEAM and the forthcoming BREEAM V7 standards reflects a clear commitment to evidence-based sustainable building practices and eco-design for buildings that meet low-impact construction and circular economy in construction goals.
The skills shortage threatens this progress. The UK faces a deficit of at least 14,000 trade apprentices within the green construction sector, limiting capacity for sustainable building design and life cycle cost optimisation. This talent gap risks slowing the transition to net zero whole life carbon operations and undermines cost control on major projects. Expansion of training in sustainable material specification, carbon footprint reduction, and end-of-life reuse in construction is essential to secure both project delivery and compliance with evolving embodied carbon in materials benchmarks.
Global climate policy fragmentation is adding pressure. Divergent national commitments create uncertainty for carbon neutral construction investors while the EU’s focus on low embodied carbon materials and comprehensive lifecycle frameworks strengthens its position as a leader in sustainable architecture and circular economy policy. The convergence of technology, governance, and skill development defines the next decade for sustainable design. Those integrating whole life carbon principles and rigorous life cycle thinking into procurement and project management will define the future of energy-efficient buildings and ensure the long-term competitiveness of the green building products sector.
Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do
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