The Antarctic ice sheet is melting in a new, worrying way that scientific models used to project future sea level rise have not taken into account, suggesting current projections could be significantly underestimating the problem, according to a new study.
Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey found that warm ocean water is seeping beneath the ice sheet at its "grounding line" — the point at which the ice rises from the seabed and starts to float — causing accelerated melting which could lead to a tipping point, according to the report published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
A tipping point refers to the threshold at which a series of small changes accumulate to push a system beyond a point of no return.
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📸 : Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu/Getty Images
In parallel, the ongoing transition to low carbon construction materials underlines the significance of embodied carbon in materials, driving demand for renewable building materials such as mass timber, geopolymer cement and recycled aggregates. These approaches reflect growing commitment to circular economy in construction and life cycle thinking, where material recovery and end-of-life reuse in construction are embedded into early-stage design. By adopting sustainable material specification supported through environmental product declarations (EPDs), project teams reduce embodied carbon while enhancing resource efficiency in construction.
As markets explore energy-positive and energy-efficient buildings, policy innovation increasingly supports whole life carbon reduction through sustainable building design and eco-design for buildings. The move toward net zero carbon buildings demonstrates the competitiveness of low carbon design, confirming that sustainable construction is now a defining criterion of financial resilience. Programmes such as COP30’s Tropical Forests Forever Facility are further stimulating investment in certified timber supply chains that support green construction and circular construction strategies.
Economic institutions are adjusting their models to reflect the life cycle cost of infrastructure and the environmental impact of construction. With climate risk integrated into IMF and World Bank reform packages, sustainability has become intrinsic to fiduciary responsibility. The indicators are unequivocal: sustainable building practices and green infrastructure are not peripheral investments but essential instruments for maintaining long-term asset value under global sustainability standards like BREEAM and BREEAM v7.
Sustainable design now defines the competitive edge for a carbon neutral construction economy founded on measurable performance, lifecycle assessment and transparent reporting.
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