COP26 - Cities built4climate

German Pavilion@COP26

In Africa, around 70 per cent of the urban health, sanitation, electricity, water and transport infrastructure is yet to be built. The construction sector is responsible for about 38% of the global energy-related CO2 emissions and operating buildings for 36% of the worldwide final energy consumption. The use of conventional building materials (concrete, steel, aluminium) will consume about 75% of the CO2 budget for the 1.5-degree target.

A strong sustainable turnaround in the global buildings and construction sector is indispensable for achieving the climate targets.

In this context, sustainable construction can effectively combine the achievement of climate and social development goals and offers enormous opportunities in the Global South: through education and employment, livable neighbourhoods and housing that meets the basic needs of millions of urban dwellers.

Mobilizing private capital using the green recovery context via the financial sector strategically can provide the means to foster this shift towards sustainable construction worldwide.

The German Development Cooperation is inviting partners from ministries, UN networks and think-tanks from the Global South to join this conversation at the German Pavilion during COP26.

Featured speakers: 

• Martina Otto, Head of Secretariat, Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, UNEP
• Heike Henn, Head of Directorate Climate and Energy, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
• Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Founder and Managing Director, Bauhaus der Erde
• Ernest Dione, Member of the UN One Planet Network for Sustainable Buildings & Construction & Senegalese Ministry of Environment
• Susanne Lottermoser, Head of Directorate Urban Development, German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community
• Edgar Pieterse, Director, African Centre for Cities
• Anacláudia Rossbach, Regional Manager Latin America and the Caribbean, Cities Alliance

Find more information here. This event will take place at COP26, at the German Pavilion. It will also be broadcast online. Register here, then log in here with your registration number.