Mount Tambora changed the world. In 1815, the Indonesian volcano exploded in the most powerful eruption in recorded history, sending an enormous plume of tiny sun-reflecting particles high into the atmosphere, cooling the planet and ushering in disaster.
What followed was called the "year without a summer:" global temperatures plunged, crops failed, people starved, a cholera pandemic spread and tens of thousands died. Some even credit the volcano with inspiring Mary Shelley to write Frankenstein, while sheltering from unusually cold weather in Switzerland in 1816.
Many volcanoes have erupted since, but Tambora remains the planet's most recent massive eruption. More than 200 years later, scientists warn the world may be due another.
The question is not if, but when, said Markus Stoffel, a climate professor at the University of Geneva. Geological evidence suggests a 1-in-6 chance of a massive eruption this century, he told CNN.
The next massive eruption will "cause climate chaos," Stoffel said. "Humanity does not have any plan."
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📷: John Moore/Getty Images
Innovation in sustainable construction is advancing from concept to large-scale implementation. The rise of biomethanol technology by Johnson Matthey in China demonstrates how low carbon design is becoming integral to industrial production, setting a new benchmark for reducing the embodied carbon in materials that feed global supply chains. The adoption of renewable building materials, supported by environmental product declarations (EPDs), strengthens resource efficiency in construction and brings the carbon footprint of construction closer to measurable transparency. These developments signify a decisive step toward net zero whole life carbon and carbon neutral construction practices.
The integration of artificial intelligence into sustainable building design is transforming how projects optimise material selection, site performance, and building lifecycle performance. Through whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment, digital tools are enabling life cycle cost savings and identifying pathways for reducing the environmental impact of construction. This smart application of data reduces waste, encourages low embodied carbon materials, and reinforces sustainable material specification within both public and private sector projects.
Recent architectural projects such as the adaptive reuse of Bell’s Yard and Ash Mews in London embody the principles of circular economy in construction and eco-design for buildings. They exemplify circular construction strategies that prioritise end-of-life reuse in construction, showing how life cycle thinking in construction can achieve high performance within dense urban fabrics. This approach exemplifies sustainable architecture that supports sustainable urban development while lowering the carbon footprint through compact, efficient, and energy-efficient buildings.
Regulatory and policy frameworks remain inconsistent, yet market pressures are accelerating change. Investors now demand verifiable environmental sustainability in construction outcomes, replacing superficial metrics with whole life carbon verification and BREEAM v7 certification benchmarks. The emphasis on sustainable building practices, green infrastructure, and circular economy principles means that achieving net zero carbon buildings is no longer aspirational. It requires transparent accounting of embodied carbon, accountable procurement, and full life cycle performance evaluation. Sustainability now defines competitiveness, making eco-friendly construction and decarbonising the built environment not just moral imperatives but critical business strategies in achieving a resilient, low carbon building future.
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