Runners already face a daunting challenge when they line up at the start of a...

CNN Climate 8 months ago

Runners already face a daunting challenge when they line up at the start of a marathon, but they might increasingly find themselves with another obstacle to reckon with: global warming. A new study claims that rising temperatures around the world will make it harder for elite athletes to break the marathon world record, or for recreational runners to hit their target times. Of the 221 races analyzed in the report from Climate Central released last week, 86% of them are less likely to have optimal racing conditions for runners by 2045. That includes last Sunday's New York City Marathon and the other six major marathons around the world — London, Berlin, Tokyo, Chicago, Boston, and Sydney. For runners, the consequences of running in hot conditions can be extreme. "We've seen time and time again where athletes are passing out from dehydration and heat exhaustion during races and taking months to recover," Scottish distance runner Mhairi Maclennan told CNN Sports. Read more at the link in @cnnclimate's bio. 📸: Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images; Alex Davidson/Getty Images; Annegret Hilse/Reuters

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 10 hours ago



Europe’s transition towards sustainable construction gained tangible momentum through new technological and policy advancements redefining environmental sustainability in construction. The EU‑funded INDTEGRATE project is positioning green hydrogen within industrial processes, linking Whole Life Carbon Assessment to real supply chain transformation. By integrating renewable energy into steel and concrete production, the initiative points to reduced embodied carbon in materials and measurable carbon footprint reduction across high‑impact manufacturing. This shift aligns with broader goals around net zero Whole Life Carbon and low carbon design, marking a definitive step toward decarbonising the built environment.

The closure of blast furnaces at Port Talbot demonstrates structural change rather than incremental low‑impact construction, showing how carbon neutral construction can immediately cut regional emissions. The UK’s Defra Farming Roadmap 2050 is redefining the interface between agriculture and sustainable building design, promoting regenerative landscapes and infrastructure prepared for a climate‑adapted future. It supports the Circular Economy in construction by linking eco‑design for buildings with resource efficiency in construction and end‑of‑life reuse in construction, connecting rural resilience with low carbon building practices.

Growing investment in modular and offshore techniques reflects demand for Whole Life Carbon management and lifecycle assessment throughout supply chains. Training for energy‑efficient buildings and low embodied carbon materials is strengthening workforce capability, embedding life cycle thinking in construction and reinforcing sustainable material specification. Regulation is tightening around the environmental impact of construction, driving transparency through environmental product declarations (EPDs) and accountability consistent with breeam and breeam v7 performance criteria.

The conversation surrounding green construction is evolving from pilot schemes to long‑term policy alignment framed by Life Cycle Cost and circular construction strategies. The sector is adopting sustainable building practices that deliver measurable building lifecycle performance across net zero carbon buildings. As the tools for sustainable design move from concept to implementation, eco‑friendly construction underpinned by renewable building materials and green infrastructure is becoming integral to sustainable urban development and the future of low carbon construction materials.

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