In 2024, Sicily, Italy faced its worst drought in almost 20 years, with nearly empty reservoirs and water rationing affecting up to two million people.
In response, authorities declared a state of emergency, with plans to manage the drought through the reintroduction of desalination plants.
Lake Caccamo, located in Sicily, is shown in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 25 July 2024. The lake used to be one of the largest in Sicily, but on 1 August, it reached only 18 million cubic metres in comparison to its capacity of 100 million cubic metres.
Globally, droughts have increased by 29% since 2000 due to climate change and unsustainable land management, with water scarcity affecting 30% of Europeans and 20% of land each year.
The Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification starts on 2 December, and the EU will work to tackle drought, desertification, and land degradation 🇪🇺 🤝 🌎
Open data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites is essential for monitoring drought and its widespread impacts in affected countries. This information is key to mapping changes in bodies of water and informing management efforts.
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Researchers in Denmark are advancing a potential breakthrough in sustainable construction with the development of a living cement made with bacteria. The material gains strength over time and could also store energy, opening possibilities for net zero carbon buildings that contribute directly to the energy grid. Such innovations highlight how renewable building materials and low carbon construction materials can address embodied carbon in materials and reshape the carbon footprint of construction at scale. This aligns with global demand for Whole Life Carbon Assessment methods that evaluate both performance and energy contribution across the full lifecycle.
In Glasgow, the adaptive reuse of the historic Teacher building into low carbon design apartments demonstrates how sustainable building design can retain cultural value while improving environmental sustainability in construction. By upgrading heritage architecture into energy-efficient buildings, the project integrates sustainable building practices with eco-design for buildings, illustrating how Whole Life Carbon is reduced when existing structures are retrofitted rather than rebuilt. Such efforts contribute to sustainable urban development by reusing embodied carbon already locked into older structures.
Industrial-scale innovation is also visible in the shift towards cleaner energy sources. Kimberly-Clark has introduced green hydrogen boilers at its UK manufacturing plants, projected to cut emissions by 28,500 tonnes per year. This operational change offers lessons in decarbonising the built environment, where lifecycle assessment and Life Cycle Costing modelling underline the value of investing in resource efficiency in construction supply chains. Reducing carbon footprint at the supply stage supports the transition towards low embodied carbon materials for eco-friendly construction.
Policy decisions are exerting pressure on the sector. The UK government’s approval of Gatwick Airport expansion raises questions over environmental sustainability in construction and sustainable urban development. With plans for 100,000 additional flights, critics highlight the conflict with climate targets and net zero Whole Life Carbon ambitions. The challenge for construction stakeholders lies in demonstrating Whole Life Carbon Assessments that align infrastructure growth with sustainable architecture and carbon footprint reduction.
Progress in recyclable design also marks a shift towards Circular Economy in construction. Fully recyclable toothpaste tubes, now manufactured with HDPE, signal how circular construction strategies can extend even to small-scale building products. Applying life cycle thinking in construction ensures end-of-life reuse in construction materials, supporting Circular Economy goals and reducing the environmental impact of construction through sustainable material specification.
Waste management remains a critical barrier. The collapse of key landfill operator Avondale Environmental has exposed the fragility of existing systems. With reliance on landfill becoming incompatible with sustainable construction goals, stronger investment in Circular Economy strategies and end-of-life reuse in construction is urgent. This reflects growing recognition that building lifecycle performance depends on embedding circular construction strategies and ensuring carbon neutral construction workflows rather than deferring emissions to disposal.
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