UNEP, Global ABC & Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB)

Embedding Buildings and Constructions into NDCs

Organised by the GlobalABC and the PEEB

Objectives and key messages

The event “Embedding buildings and construction into NDCs” invites governments to take forceful action towards more meaningful NDCs in the building and construction sector, with clear actions and ambitious targets towards a zero emission buildings sector. The five year update of NDCs is due in 2020 and this event will allow governments to take action towards the effective update of their NDCs.

Building construction and operation is the biggest single contributor to energy- and process-related CO2 emissions globally, accounting for almost 40% of these emissions and 36% of global final energy demand.

We are not on track: a 30% energy intensity reduction is required until 2030 to put the sector on track to meeting the Paris Agreement goals. Instead, final energy demand in buildings has risen by 5% since 2010, with the impact from growth in floor area and population outpacing the impact of energy efficiency improvements.

While 136 out of the 194 NDCs mention buildings and construction, most do not mention concrete targets or policy actions. Current ambition levels in NDCs are insufficient to decarbonize the sector (covering, jointly with existing policy measures, around 60% of the sector's emissions). However, without decarbonizing the buildings and construction it will not be possible to achieve the Paris Agreement Goals. Less than one third of countries have mandatory building energy codes or certifications in place, despite high construction rates in developing regions.

Governments play a key role in helping address these issues.

The event will build on the GlobalABC findings of the Global Status Report 2018-2019, on the Guide for including building actions in NDCs and the series of webinars that followed. It will draw from the experience on implementation by the Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings PEEB, partner countries and on various events such as Regional Roundtables which allowed us to collect best practices from different regions in order to establish Regional roadmaps.

Synergies

As the NDC updates deadline is approaching, the GlobalABC has several other events on NDCs in plan during the COP, and this includes the Human Settlements track of the Marrakech Partnership Global Climate Action, or the Press event on 11 December formal launch of the Global Status Report 2019.

Synergies with other thematic tracks include "nature-based solutions" as NDCs can help promote natural construction materials and invite to include vegetation in designs to fight the urban heat island and address resilience to climate hazards. the "Adaptation"  track is also addressed as NDCs need to look beyond mitigation measures and anticipate resilience as extreme climate events occur. Synergies with the energy "energy" track are developed as NDCs measures should address energy efficiency by promoting passive measures and work on the envelope as a shield against temperature peaks and with  "green cities" as NDCs can only become effective through vertical integration and local authorities uptake.

Expected Outcomes

“Embedding buildings and construction into NDCs” aims to help governments take an active role in addressing the building and construction sector as part of the NDCs updates or in submitting a new NDC. This session is short and participants should leave with concrete solutions and examples from countries who are well advanced in the process. We would also take this occasion to create peer to peer exchange with concrete solutions on best paths for concrete action. The results would then be taken as material for the GlobalABC regional roadmaps process, currently ongoing in Latin America, Asia and Africa. We would invite participants to follow up the reflexion through active participation in the Roadmaps. The PEEB is also part of the effort through their implementation work in developing countries of the GlobalABC.  In synergy with our other events, the results collected would become useful material for our follow up with Peter Graham on the NDC guide.