At COP26, a United Plea for Climate Policy

The building industry is tired of waiting for change.

“We call on all sovereign governments to ramp up their Nationally Determined Contributions, and 2030 emissions reduction targets, to limit planetary warming in line with the remaining global 1.5ºC carbon budget,” reads a communiqué to policymakers worldwide. It will be delivered in Glasgow during the 26^th annual United Nations climate-change conference (COP26), which began October 31, 2021.

Spearheaded by Architecture 2030, the communiqué is a challenge to governments that’s signed by firms and organizations involved in shaping the built environment.

The open letter notes that these firms and organizations are leading by example: “Our professions and industries are transforming and taking significant action to mitigate and adapt to climate change,” it says. “By showing what is possible, we are emboldening others to do the same.”

“Gensler is committed to using our scale to make a difference,” said Diane Hoskins, FAIA, co-CEO of Gensler in a media fact sheet. “We are committed to using this moment to make a significant impact on lowering the carbon emissions from making and operating our buildings.” Gensler is the largest architecture firm in the world.

“It is imperative that world leaders meeting in Glasgow fully commit to adopting aggressive building policies, incentives, and codes,” said Peter Exley, FAIA, 2021 president of the American Institute of Architects.

The signatories represent more than one million building professionals responsible for more than $300 billion of construction, according to the fact sheet.

For more information:

COP 26 Communiqué
cop26communique.org