We are attending COP31

The 31st Conference of the Parties, better known as COP 31 has begun, kicking off in Antalya, Türkiye, where countries have gathered to negotiate collective action on climate change.

While there are sometimes criticisms of the impact of COP, it is the world’s only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change – which is arguably the biggest existential crisis we face.

Putting opinions to one side, COP31 is about agreement and implementation of climate solutions and progressing a global energy transition that drives economic growth, more jobs, food security, better health and safety and affordable clean energy. There is a huge agenda at COP31, from electrification to circular economy policies, and the built environment can deliver opportunities and solutions across the board. With Chris Bowen, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the COP President of Negotiations, Australia has a unique role to play in this COP and we hope that it will make a difference in deliver real commitments and outcomes, especially for our Pacific nation family facing some of the most extreme and urgent impacts of the climate crisis. The event will bring together thousands of people with a passion and purpose for creating and implementing climate solutions. It is a powerful gathering of not only knowledge, experience and inspirations, but of people who know how to get things done. While the general public only see the headlines spotlighting government-level pledges and commitments, the connections, discussions and action that is taken by everyone who attends is the quieter, but just as critical, part of the event. Power is ignited in the moments between people from nations all across the world with a common goal, or at the very least, a desire for better.

Having touched down in Antalya over the weekend, I can say with certainty that there is a feeling of urgency and readiness to get moving on this agenda. I am here to represent GBCA and the Australian sustainable built environment sector, to learn, connect with other leaders from a range of sectors from all over the world, and to bring a built environment sector perspective and the unique Australian experience, to events and discussions.

I will observe the proceedings and attend a range of events that will take place over the duration of COP – this includes the Australian Pavilion, run by the Australian Government, which has a busy program of events every day of COP.

Inspiration and learning aligned with the work of GBCA

COP 31 will consider policies, commitments and actions across priority themes and sectors that collectively cover the global economy and a wide range of stakeholders. There is also a strong focus on finance, technology and capacity building which are considered the enablers of action.

GBCA’s work aligns closely with several of the themes and sectors on the COP 31 Action Agenda, so there is plenty to soak up, learn, discuss and bring home to Australia. The themes and their core focus areas in the Action Agenda include:

•      Zero Waste: Circular economy policies

•      Resilient Cities: Whole-life building emissions; green building certification; sustainable finance for cities; resilient infrastructure and standards

•      Green Industrialisation: market creation and demand for low-carbon products; near-zero emission technologies; sustainable value chains

•      Clean Energy Transition: Electrification pathways; grids, storage and flexibility; efficiency and sustainable cooling

•      Rio Synergy: Biodiversity in adaptation.

What we hope COP 31 will achieve

In a nutshell, what we’d like to see are commitments at COP backed by policies and funding in Australia. These should deliver: electrification everywhere; improved building performance; and ways to meaningfully address the full carbon impacts and the resilience of buildings.

Over the past weeks, we have talked a lot about the strong focus on electrification at COP 31. The 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge is a core initiative of Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency-Designate aimed at increasing electricity’s share of global final energy consumption to 35% by 2035, up from roughly 20% to 23% today.

We want to see all countries at COP commit to the pledge. And then we want to see real policy commitments back here in Australia so we can achieve the target. Buildings offer huge opportunities for electrification that delivers a range of benefits for households, business owners and Australia’s collective energy security and resilience.

Some of the electrification policies we want to see implemented in Australia are captured in the Electrify Australia campaign and in our own Every Building Counts policy platform.

The COP 31 Presidency’s Resilient Cities priority includes a target of lifting energy efficiency to improve energy intensity by at least 25% by 2035. Governments back home in Australia can back this target by renewing their commitment to energy efficiency standards in the National Construction Code, implementing a range of initiatives to accelerate energy performance upgrades for existing buildings and continuing to invest in and grow energy performance reporting for commercial buildings and homes.

We’re pleased to see that whole-life building emissions and green industrialisation are front and centre at COP 31. For buildings, this takes the discussion beyond electricity and operational emissions. In Australia, we’d love to see governments make a plan for consistent carbon measurement and reporting in construction, building on the voluntary guidance released by the Australian Building Codes Board earlier this year.

The Presidency has proposed halving growth in global waste by 2035. We’d love to see Australia commit to this goal and follow this up at home with expanded focus on circularity opportunities for the built environment.

We are here because climate change is happening now. Vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, but it won’t stop there. We must try to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 – and it is my hope that COP31 will provide solutions and actions, beyond just honourable words.