Photos by James Whitlow Delano @jameswhitlowdelano for @everydayclimatechange...

Every Day Climate Change 2 years ago

Photos by James Whitlow Delano @jameswhitlowdelano for @everydayclimatechange As summer reaches record heat, and talk turns to the warming planet, it again becomes clear to me that only a few voices in the US can get a word in edgewise. We need more voices, voices of those in the field witnessing and documenting the devastating consequences of our changing climate – not the same celebrity climate activists. 1. A fishing boat left behind on Lake Poopo, formerly Bolivia's second largest, that has completely dried up in large part due to climate change. Lake Poopo dried up completely in 2015. Poopo was suffering for years with increased meltwater diversion and contamination of water along its source, the Desaguadero River but prolonged decrease in rains and intense drought, due to climate change, led to this 2,400 sq km (926 sq. mi.) lake, an area five times larger than Lake Tahoe, to dry out completely, killing estimated 3 million fish and thousands of birds. 2. Riding this road in Bulakan (correct spelling), every day, during high tide is likely riding out to sea, due to rising sea levels and subsiding ground from over-exploitation of an underground aquifer. Bulakan (correct spelling(, Bulacan (correct spelling) Province, The Philippines 3. 2023: The sun filtered through the smoke of the forest fire in San José de Palco. Bío Bío, Chile. In the 13th year of a megadrought in Central Chile, over 425,000 hectares (1,050,197 acres) of forest have burned, most of it in dessicated monoculture tree plantations of highly flammable exotic species of eucalyptus and Monterey pine. At least 26 people have been killed and 2,000 injured. 4. The advancing Sahara: Small fields of wheat, irrigated by water from a solar powered pump drawn from a 15 meter deep well, are planted amid sand dunes which are encroaching upon the palmeraie oasis of M'Hamid. Morocco This palmeraie is drying out due to the the climate crisis and a dam build at the top of the valley at the base of the Atlas Mountains.

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 3 hours ago



Sustainable construction is entering a stricter commercial and accountability phase. SDCL Efficiency’s planned wind-down shows that retrofit and energy-efficient buildings are vulnerable when investor confidence weakens, even though they remain central to net zero carbon buildings and to decarbonising the built environment. The message is blunt: environmental sustainability in construction must prove life cycle cost, building lifecycle performance and durable returns, rather than rely on green construction narratives. Developers and asset owners face greater pressure to embed sustainable building design, low carbon design and lifecycle assessment across existing estates and new low carbon building projects.

The Considerate Constructors’ Scheme has revised its checklist and scoring model for the UK and Ireland, pushing procurement and site management towards measurable sustainable building practices. Stronger scrutiny should sharpen whole life carbon assessment, embodied carbon control and the management of embodied carbon in materials, low carbon construction materials and resource efficiency in construction. Homes England’s debt facility with Richborough confirms that housing delivery still dominates public policy. Faster build-out without equal focus on whole life carbon, circular economy in construction, life cycle thinking in construction and the carbon footprint of construction risks locking in avoidable emissions. For teams aligning projects with BREEAM and BREEAM v7, the direction is clear: eco-design for buildings, sustainable material specification, environmental product declarations (EPDs) and net zero whole life carbon are becoming core tests of sustainable design.

Show More

camera_altFeatured Instagram Posts:

Get your opinion heard:

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.

Let's chat!
Avatar

WLC Assistant

Ask me about sustainability

Hi! I'm your Whole Life Carbon assistant. I can help you learn about sustainability, carbon assessment, and navigate our resources. How can I help you today?