COP27: Building And Construction Sector's CO2 Emissions Rebounds To All-Time High: Report

Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2022 says the sector accounted for over 34 per cent of energy demand and around 37 per cent of energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021

The building and construction sector's energy consumption and CO2 emissions have hit an all-time high after rebounding from the Covid pandemic, a new report released at the UN COP27 summit said. The 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction finds that the sector accounted for over 34 per cent of energy demand and around 37 per cent of energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021.

The building and construction sector's operational energy-related CO2 emissions reached 10 gigatonnes. This is 5 per cent over 2020 levels and 2 per cent over the pre-pandemic peak in 2019. In 2021, operational energy demand for heating, cooling, lighting and equipment in buildings increased by around 4 per cent from 2020 and 3 per cent from 2019.

This report indicates that the gap between the climate performance of the sector and the 2050 decarbonization pathway is widening. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said, “Years of warnings about the impacts of climate change have become a reality. If we do not rapidly cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, we will be in deeper trouble.”

"The buildings sector represents 40 per cent of Europe's energy demand, 80 per cent of it from fossil fuels. This makes the sector an area for immediate action, investment, and policies to promote short and long-term energy security," Andersen further added.

Although, the report also said that the sector's emissions intensity in kilogrammes of CO2 per square metre dropped from 43 in 2015 to 40 in 2021. Energy intensity in kilowatts per hour per square metre slightly decreased, from 153 in 2015 to 152 in 2021. Investments in building energy efficiency have gone up by 16 per cent in 2021 over 2020 levels to $237 billion.

The report says that to face the growing crisis, such as the war in Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis, and the cost-of-living crisis - to reduce energy demand, avoid CO2 emissions and dampen energy cost volatility, investments in energy efficiency must be sustained.

40 per cent of Europe’s energy demand comes from the building sector. This calls for immediate action, investment and policies to promote short and long-term energy security.

The report also showed that rising fossil fuel costs due to the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis are providing incentives to invest in energy efficiency, although the erosion of purchasing power and the impact of labour and materials may slow investment.

"The solution may lie in governments directing relief towards low and zero-carbon building investment activities through financial and non-financial incentives," Andersen added.