Twenty-five built environment professional bodies jointly pledge to tackle climate change

News

  • Sustainability

11 March 2020

Climate

IWFM has joined the Construction Industry Council (CIC), 24 built environment professional bodies, the UK Green Building Council, the Edge, and the University College of Estate Management in signing a joint pledge to work together to tackle climate change.

Together we have issued a joint statement that recognises: the breakdown in global climate and biodiversity is the most serious issue of our time; the built environment is a major contributor.

The 28 signatories to the statement acknowledge that the built environment accounts for almost 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions while also having a significant impact on our natural habitats.

Signalled in the statement is ‘an urgent need for coordinated action to address and mitigate the impact of the built environment on both the climate change and biodiversity “emergencies”’.

To this end, the signatories have established a Climate Change Panel, formed from leaders within each profession and convened by CIC, to aid collaboration and shared endeavour between the professional bodies.

The Climate Change Panel will facilitate the coming together of the built environment professions so that they can:

  • drive a net zero carbon emissions pathway
  • identify and promote examples of best practice carbon reduction, climate resilience, biodiversity protection and improvement
  • encourage thought leadership and innovation to bring about change
  • share best practice in terms of education accreditation, membership qualification and CPD development
  • provide advice and guidance on all matters relating to the mitigation of the climate change and biodiversity ‘emergencies’ and the appropriate adaptation of the built and natural environment.

The full statement can be read here.