Introduction to the GlobalABC
The Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) is a prominent global platform established during COP21 and hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It consists of 280 members, including 39 countries, and serves as a leading advocate and catalyst for action in the building sector. The GlobalABC’s vision is to achieve a zero-emission, efficient, and resilient buildings and construction sector. It actively promotes market transformation and works towards defining a strategy for carbon neutrality in the built environment. The alliance advocates for the sector’s importance in global climate action through various high-level events and reports, tracks progress through the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, and develops policy guidance and roadmaps to support national and city-level efforts.
The Adaptation Working Group
OID has been appointed technical secretariat of the Adaptation Working Group by the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME). The Adaptation Working Group operates under the Public Policies branch of the GlobalABC. Our primary objective is to coordinate stakeholders from the building sector (both public and private) and leverage their expertise and resources to develop innovative solutions focused on resilience and adaptation. The group examines adaptation projects in relation to the principles outlined in the reports ‘Buildings and Climate Change Adaptation: A Call for Action’ and ‘Adaptation of the Building Sector to Climate Change: 10 Principles for Effective Action.’ Additionally, the working group conducts comparative reviews of methodologies for assessing building resilience and contributes to events like COP27. Recently, it collaborated with the Alliance HQE to create a reference framework dedicated to adapting cities and towns to climate change based on the 10 principles. The group’s priorities for 2023 include changing the perception of adaptation efforts, emphasizing its continuous and evolving nature, and evaluating stakeholders’ contributions to climate change adaptation along the value chain of the buildings and construction sector.
Evaluating Stakeholders’ Contribution to Climate Change Adaptation
In preparation for COP28, the Adaptation Working Group is working on a report that assesses the contributions of stakeholders along the buildings and construction value chain to climate change adaptation. With the global climate crisis intensifying, it has become increasingly important to evaluate the efforts of stakeholders in this sector. By recognizing and analyzing their contributions, effective strategies can be identified, sustainable practices can be promoted, and necessary changes can be implemented to create a resilient and adaptive built environment. The buildings and construction sector encompasses various stakeholders, and assessing their roles and contributions is crucial for successful climate change adaptation.
Towards a Systemic Consideration of Adaptation
Considering the pervasive impact of climate change, the response to it must be systemic. The objective of the report being prepared by the Adaptation Working Group is to mainstream climate resilience considerations in all relevant policy fields, both in the public and private sectors. This report aims to support the development and implementation of adaptation strategies and plans at all levels of governance. Key priorities in this systemic approach include integrating adaptation into macro-fiscal policy, exploring nature-based solutions for adaptation, and emphasizing local adaptation actions. Effective adaptation strategies based on the latest scientific knowledge are essential, with the local level serving as the foundation for adaptation efforts. Monitoring, reporting, and evaluation play crucial roles in establishing a robust baseline for measuring progress. Stakeholders in the buildings and construction value chain should align with policy coherence principles, considering disaster risk, resilience building, prevention, preparedness, and managing residual risk. The report also highlights the importance of addressing unequal exposure and vulnerability to climate impacts, particularly among different regions and socio-economic groups. Adaptation measures should consider the unique circumstances of marginalized and vulnerable communities. The report aims to promote long-term economic diversification strategies and policies that facilitate the adoption of data, digital, and smart solutions tailored to local and regional specificities for climate adaptation.
Call for your participation in the writing of this report
This report is composed both of the study of a corpus of research papers and of on the ground feedbacks of stakeholders of the buildings and construction sector. We aim at understanding and evaluating real world contribution to climate change along the value chain of the buildings and construction sector. Therefore, on the ground insights and perspectives are crucial in enabling us to understand the current landscape and identify areas for improvement. In particular, at the moment we are focused on assessing the contributions of two groups of stakeholders: financial institutions and insurers, and civil society and occupants.
As such, if you have insights into the inner working of these two sectors, we cordially invite you to participate in these two surveys:
Your valuable opinions will contribute to fostering innovative solutions, enhancing risk management strategies, and ensuring the availability of adequate financial resources to support adaptation efforts. Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to your valuable input.
