đCities are key in combatting the climate crisis.
Almost 5 billion people live in towns or cities. Generating 70% of global CO2 emissions, they can be powerful agents of change.
"Portraits of Urban Change" is a photo contest by @UNUEHS and @unclimatechange showing projects that help make our cities more sustainable, inclusive and resilient. Here are three of the 20 pictures selected to be exhibited at the upcoming #COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan in November:
đïžThe production, use and waste management of plastics generates about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Mr and Mrs Ebun in Nigeria have made it their livelihood to collect plastic bags and bottles, wash them clean, weigh them and take them to recycling plants for a token. Photo: Samuel Okechukwu
âĄïž Cities use 75% of the worldâs energy and produce 70% of greenhouse gases. In an effort to switch to renewable energy sources, a major corporation in Cebu in the Philippines has converted their primary power source to clean energy and placed several hectares of solar panels on residential houses. Photo: Mark Linel Padecio
đ± Urban areas can be up to 10°C hotter than surrounding regions. City forests or gardens can significantly reduce air temperatures - and contribute to food security at the same time. An NGO in Brazil covered its roof with a vegetable garden that produces organic food and serves 400 families from the neighboring community. Photo: Hans von Manteuffel
Every action counts!
#UrbanOctober
The UK construction sector is entering a decisive phase of sustainable construction focused on measurable carbon reduction rather than symbolic gestures. The launch of the UKâs first commercialâscale carbon capture and storage facilities in the East Coast Cluster, operated by pX Group, marks significant progress in decarbonising the built environment. These links between energyâintensive industries and new COâ transport and storage systems are reshaping the embodied carbon profile of essential materials such as cement and steel, critical to sustainable building design and ecoâfriendly construction. The integration of low embodied carbon materials forms a foundation for the adoption of whole life carbon assessment methods and lifecycle assessment strategies now demanded across the supply chain.
Concrete innovation is accelerating as âgreen concreteâ becomes a viable element of low carbon design. Manufacturers are scaling from trials to full delivery. JCBâs move to provide a 100% biodiesel option for tracked excavators demonstrates practical progress toward net zero carbon buildings and carbon neutral construction. Effective reductions depend on verified renewable building materials and traceable biofuels, requiring stricter sustainable material specification and transparent environmental product declarations (EPDs). Verified sourcing and supply are vital to minimising the carbon footprint of construction and improving resource efficiency in construction.
Across projects, whole life carbon thinking is now inseparable from life cycle cost analysis. Intensifying climate conditionsâfrom escalating floods to drought stressâdemand resilient, energyâefficient buildings and green infrastructure designed using ecoâdesign for buildings principles. Resilience and sustainability are no longer optional performance indicators but integral to building lifecycle performance and sustainable building practices. The industry response is to secure supply from emerging low carbon construction materials clusters, adopt verified fuels and plant emissions data, and embed circular construction strategies.
The momentum reflects a commitment to environmental sustainability in construction, combining circular economy in construction models with frameworks such as BREEAM V7 to achieve net zero whole life carbon outcomes. Through transparent lifecycle assessment and life cycle thinking in construction, every project can demonstrate measurable progress in carbon footprint reduction and deliver the economic and environmental returns driving the transition to sustainable urban development.
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