Photo by James Whitlow Delano @jamewhitlowdelano for @everydayclimatechange.
1. Man braces a sandstorm rips through a dry wadi that has not seen any water for years, delivering sand from the Sahara. Every year, in the past, this wadi would fill will water seasonally but no longer with the climate crisis meaning less rain here and in the Atlas Mountains from where this wadi begins and because of the the al-Mansour Eddahbi Dam, built in 1971/72, at the base of the Atlas Mountains.
The dam was supposed to provide better water management by regular releases of water from the dam for communities. Before 1972, the Wadi Draa River, its source in the Atlas Mountains, would run all the way down through the Valley of Draa, beyond M'Hamid and discharge in the now completely dry Lake Iriki, a former seasonal wetland. After 1972, there would be periodic releases from the dam, with certain amounts of surface water distributed to each village down the valley, M'Hamid being the last. The dam's sluice gates were said to open seven times a year but most older residents remember water filling irrigation ditches, that are now filled with Sahara sand (photo# 2), opening three or four times a year. From 1972 - 2002, sufficient filling of the dam's reservoir, to fullfill the demands of agriculture in the valley, was only been achieved 13 out of 30 years, according to a 2016 report by the University of Bonn.
#climatecrisis #globalwarming #climatechange #water #desertification #mhamidelghizlane #sahara #oasis #morocco #valleyofdraa
The UK construction sector has accelerated its push towards sustainable construction as government investment in domestic heat pump production rises to £90 million. The expansion of the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator scheme supports a rapid scale-up in low carbon building technology and reflects growing commitment to environmental sustainability in construction. By enabling a broader rollout of affordable, energy-efficient buildings, the initiative strengthens national progress toward net zero carbon buildings and aligns with the Clean Heat Mechanism’s upcoming sales mandates for heat pump installations. These measures reinforce the integration of low carbon design principles and life cycle cost planning across building projects, signalling a long-term shift in resource efficiency in construction.
The UK Green Building Council has introduced a new framework designed to simplify embodied carbon measurement during early-stage sustainable building design. This essential resource allows architects and developers to undertake more precise whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment from initial concept to completion. As embodied carbon in materials becomes a central factor in environmental product declarations (EPDs), the new standard provides a foundation for data-driven carbon footprint reduction. It promotes consistency in sustainable material specification and advances the use of low embodied carbon materials, supporting the shift toward carbon neutral construction and net zero whole life carbon strategies.
Vital Energi’s Rawcliffe Bridge solar farm demonstrates how renewable energy infrastructure is becoming embedded in local green construction strategies. Commissioned by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the project represents practical eco-design for buildings and communities, embodying the principles of circular economy in construction. By integrating green infrastructure within regional development, the sector moves closer to resilient, sustainable urban development models that couple decentralised power generation with low-impact construction. These projects enhance end-of-life reuse in construction and exemplify circular construction strategies designed to reduce the carbon footprint of construction at scale.
In heavy industry, the UK government has announced a £420 million support package for energy-intensive manufacturers such as cement and steel producers. Substantial discounts on network charges are intended to lighten the cost burden of decarbonising the built environment while preserving competitiveness. Energy efficiency incentives are crucial for improving building lifecycle performance in materials production and encouraging adoption of green building materials across supply chains. Such interventions contribute to the wider framework of whole life carbon reduction and demonstrate how life cycle thinking in construction is becoming central to national policy for a low carbon economy.
At the project level, the progression of new facilities such as the GAP Alba plant illustrates the importance of patience and precision when implementing sustainable building practices. Each operational milestone supports the broader ambition of achieving net zero carbon outcomes through sustainable design and eco-friendly construction. The cumulative effect of these developments is a more systematic and technically grounded approach to green building products and construction processes. Together, innovations in embodied carbon tracking, renewable building materials, and circular economy principles are reshaping environmental sustainability in construction and reinforcing the foundation for a cleaner, more resource-efficient built environment.
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