UNEP and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) have launched the tenth edition of the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025–2026 which examines one of the defining challenges of this decade: transforming a rapidly expanding, emissions-intensive sector into one that delivers climate action, resilience and affordable living.
Buildings and construction sit at the centre of the global economy, representing 11–13 per cent of global GDP and employing around 9 per cent of the world’s workforce across construction, renovation, demolition and engineering. At the same time, the sector accounts for around 37 per cent of global CO₂ emissions and nearly 50 per cent of global material extraction. With half of the buildings that will exist in 2050 still yet to be built or renovated, the choices made today will shape emissions, energy use and quality of life for generations.
The report is available here along with a summary of key messages.
CIB is a member of the GlobalABC and contributes to several of its working groups including the Passive Cooling Hub of which CIB is a co-lead.
