Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on the planet and home to a vast array of species. But in recent years it has been hit by a series of devastating mass bleaching events, turning the vibrant colors of parts of the reef a bright white.
Across the world, corals are suffering a similar fate, with more than 80% of the ocean's reefs hit by an ongoing global bleaching event that began in 2023, due to record high marine temperatures. Bleaching can be deadly, as the corals are depleted of the algae that live inside them and act as a food source.
The effects can be catastrophic; while coral reefs occupy just 0.01% of the ocean floor, they support a quarter of all marine life, as well as providing people with food and livelihoods, and helping to reduce storm surge and protect against erosion.
If coral reefs are to be saved, efforts to curb ocean warming by reducing carbon emissions need to be stepped up, but scientists are also searching for other solutions to keep coral reefs alive in a warming world.
📸: Christine Roper; Tom Booth/CNN; Jake Crosby; John Edmondson
#CalltoEarth
The UK Government’s decision to triple domestic heat pump manufacturing funding to £90 million marks a significant step toward advancing net zero carbon buildings and sustainable construction. The investment, part of the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator Competition, supports a shift from fossil-fuel heating systems toward low carbon design alternatives. This strategy strengthens the UK’s capacity to measure and manage embodied carbon and whole life carbon across the built environment, setting a pathway for a new generation of energy-efficient buildings aligned with a circular economy in construction.
The funding increase is expected to boost supply chains for low embodied carbon materials, encouraging manufacturers to undertake whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment processes when scaling production. By integrating life cycle cost considerations into both product development and procurement, construction firms can enhance environmental sustainability in construction and drive improvements in sustainable building practices that are measurable, verifiable, and fully compliant with BREEAM and BREEAM v7 certification frameworks.
Heat pumps are being positioned as a cornerstone of low carbon building performance, essential to reducing the carbon footprint of construction projects while improving renewable energy use in the housing sector. This transition links closely to sustainable building design and eco-design for buildings, where life cycle thinking in construction ensures long-term energy efficiency, resource efficiency in construction, and end-of-life reuse in construction. It forms part of a broader shift toward carbon neutral construction that aligns industry performance with national climate targets under the Clean Heat Mechanism.
The Government’s emphasis on green infrastructure and off-grid electric vehicle charging further supports sustainable urban development and decarbonising the built environment. Investment in renewable building materials and green building products underpins a new generation of low carbon construction materials built for the circular economy. These measures encourage stakeholders to consider embodied carbon in materials and carbon footprint reduction strategies, setting new benchmarks for sustainable design and environmental product declarations (EPDs).
Grassroots initiatives like the Dorset COP showcase how sustainable building practices can emerge from local engagement. By connecting policy ambition with practical delivery, such forums demonstrate the role of community-led sustainable architecture and eco-friendly construction in achieving net zero whole life carbon goals. This balanced approach to sustainable construction links technology, funding, and local action, forming the structural backbone of a low-impact construction future. Through collaboration and evidence-based standards, the UK’s construction sector continues to lay the foundations for a built environment defined by resilience, circular construction strategies, and enduring environmental stewardship.
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
get in touch.
