Date: 11 November, Belém, Brazil
Time: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM (BRT, UTC -3)
Organizers: Ministry of Cities of Brazil, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC)
Location: GCA Room 1 (São Francisco), Blue Zone, UNFCCC COP30 – Belem, Brazil
Space is limited – priority will be given to speakers, invited attendees, and media
This is an official COP30 Action Agenda Event under Activation Group 12 ‘Sustainable and resilient constructions and buildings’
Buildings are responsible for over one-third of global energy-related emissions and energy demand, making this sector pivotal to achieving Paris Agreement targets. Yet over 2.8 billion people worldwide face inadequate housing and heightened climate vulnerability. With around half of the buildings that will exist by 2050 not yet constructed, urgent action is needed to ensure new construction delivers both climate solutions and housing access for all, placing people at the centre of building sector decarbonisation.
In this context, the Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate (ICBC)—co-chaired by Brazil, France, and Kenya, with its secretariat provided by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), hosted by UNEP—will hold its first Ministerial Meeting to catalyse global cooperation on climate action in the buildings sector. Established by the Declaration de Chaillot, and officially launched at COP29 in Baku, the ICBC brings together over 60 national governments to accelerate decarbonisation and resilience, aligning national actions with international climate goals.
Ministers will be invited to endorse the Belém Call for Action for Sustainable and Affordable Housing, addressing the critical intersection of climate ambition, housing finance, and policy alignment, alongside additional deliverables spanning sustainable public procurement, low-carbon construction materials, energy efficiency, and whole life-cycle carbon standards, and several others, that could unlock trillions in investment and billions of tonnes in emissions reductions.
These outcomes will be presented at the Closing Plenary of the COP30 Ministerial on Urbanisation and Climate Change later the same day, reinforcing global momentum on sustainable buildings and demonstrating how member countries are tackling the interconnected challenges of climate change, housing, and development at the heart of the COP30 Action Agenda.
For any questions or if you are interested in participating, please contact Divya Nawale at divya.nawale@un.org, or Clement Charnaillat at clement.charnaillat@un.org.
