3 December 2015: At an event with 18 governments and over 60 organizations, the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction was launched during the Lima-Paris Action Agenda (LPAA), which is taking place on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Change Conference.

The Global Alliance seeks to speed up and scale up the potential of the building and construction sector to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and to build greater climate resilience. Actions envisioned through this initiative include: minimizing energy demand; greening the construction value chain; integrating renewables through district energy; implementing integrated building design and urban planning; and engaging financing institutions.

According to the UNFCCC, the buildings and construction sector is responsible for 30% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and reducing energy demand in the building sector is one of the most cost-effective strategies for achieving significant GHGs reductions. The UNFCCC also notes that as of 3 December, 91 countries have included “elements of commitments, national programmes, or projects and plans” related to buildings in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).

The LPAA is a joint undertaking of the Peruvian and French COP Presidencies, the Office of the UN Secretary-General and the UNFCCC Secretariat. It seeks to strengthen climate action through: mobilizing robust global action towards low-carbon and resilient societies; providing enhanced support to existing initiatives; and mobilizing new partners and providing a platform for the visibility of their initiatives.

The launch was part of the ‘LPAA Focus on Building,’ organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Government of France, on 3 December 2015, in Paris, during the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UNFCCC. [UNFCCC Press Release] [LPAA Website] [LPAA Programme] [IISD RS Coverage of COP 21]