President Donald Trump signed executive actions Monday and cemented his intent to double down on fossil fuels and reverse America's progress on climate change and clean energy, including signing orders to pull United States out of the Paris climate agreement.
Trump's day-one actions come as climate change-fueled fires ravage Southern California, following the globe's hottest year on record during which two major hurricanes – Helene and Milton – devastated the Southeast.
In his inauguration speech, Trump said he will declare a "national energy emergency," though United States is producing more oil now than any other country at any other time. He intends to streamline permitting and review regulations that "impose undue burdens on energy production and use, including mining and processing of non-fuel minerals," according to a list of priorities from Trump's press office.
He also intends to take action to end land and water leasing for wind energy, and undo the Biden administration's actions that promote electric vehicles.
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📸: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
Sustainability in construction continues to drive industry transformation, with a strong emphasis on decarbonising the built environment and achieving net zero carbon buildings. Cushman & Wakefield’s 2024 Sustainability Report confirms that real estate organisations are increasing their focus on whole life carbon, sustainable building design, and energy-efficient buildings. Supply chain transparency and efforts to lower the carbon footprint of construction are central, with more companies embedding whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment practices to make measurable progress beyond superficial commitments.
Record-breaking heatwaves across Europe have intensified focus on climate resilience, highlighting the urgent need for low-impact construction and climate-adaptive solutions. The rising human and economic toll of heat events places new importance on building lifecycle performance, passive and resilient design, and careful selection of sustainable material specification. Developers and clients are increasingly aware that prioritising the environmental sustainability in construction of projects is crucial for reducing future risks and ensuring long-term functionality.
The macroeconomic context underscores the sector’s responsibility: with projections showing climate mitigation costs driving public debt to historic levels, the business case for green construction and carbon neutral construction is strengthening. Investment decisions now favour low carbon construction materials, green building products, environmental product declarations (EPDs), and the adoption of life cycle cost evaluation across projects. Embracing whole life carbon and circular economy principles in construction is proving indispensable for future-proofing assets.
Digital transformation in construction is aligning with sustainability objectives, particularly as data centre infrastructure faces growing risks from extreme climate events. These challenges are accelerating the uptake of sustainable construction and end-of-life reuse in construction, highlighting the interdependence between environmental impact of construction, resource efficiency, and resilient infrastructure. Recent developments confirm that commitment to net zero carbon buildings, reduction in embodied carbon in materials, and eco-friendly strategies in the built environment is no longer optional, but essential for competitive, responsible construction globally.
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