The Challenge of Decarbonizing Cities and Real Estate

by Cynthia Curtis, SVP and Corporate Sustainability Officer, Americas for JLL

Did you know that buildings account for 60% of carbon emissions in cities. And with more than 2.5 billion people moving into cities in the next 30 years, there is a responsibility to ensure that the real estate sector, and the permanency of buildings and our communities, are evolving and adapting in a sustainable way. This isn’t only good for the planet – it also benefits job creation, health, and equality.

Global urbanization offers a time-limited opportunity to work towards widespread climate-resilient development and transformational adaptation. There needs to be an all-in approach in the built environment sector to deliver the critical 1.5oC pathway. A significant majority of the world’s major cities have committed for all new buildings to be net zero by 2030 and all buildings to be net zero by 2050. But with approximately 80% of existing building stock set to still be standing in 2050, meeting this net zero goal is a huge challenge for the real estate sector.

The real estate industry must play a central role in enabling companies, communities, and cities to deliver their net zero goals. 

Read Cynthia's full article, featuring JLL's latest research study and their new Global Sustainability Report, here -  https://greenmoney.com/the-challenge-of-decarbonizing-cities-and-real-estate

======