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The Sufficiency Action Hub aims to demonstrate the necessity, feasibility, and social desirability of sufficiency measures in the building sector, fostering a shared understanding across decision-making levels. Its goal is to build a diverse community of stakeholders worldwide, from various sectors of the building value chain, to adapt sufficiency solutions to different contexts, recognizing disparities between the Global North and South. Launched by the French Institute for Building Performance and supported by key institutions like ADEME, the initiative seeks to address the environmental challenges posed by the building sector, which is responsible for 21% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Action Hub highlights the urgent need for sufficiency measures, advocating for a systemic approach that integrates demand-side policies to reduce resource consumption, mitigate emissions, and ensure social equity. Through international collaboration and the adoption of the "Sufficiency First" principle, the initiative aims to reshape the future of the building sector within planetary boundaries. The Action Hub has recently published a report outlining the key findings of its ongoing work and initiatives.  

Building on lessons learnt and experience accumulated over the past four years , the GlobalABC has developed a new methodology and step-by-step guide to support countries in the development of roadmaps to decarbonise the buildings and construction sector. This step-by-step guide provides detailed guidance for setting goals, identifying key actions, and creating a pathway towards a more efficient, low-carbon, resilient and inclusive buildings and construction sector. 

This new roadmaps framework offer a more holistic approach to decarbonization by better considering the entire building value chain and the carbon emissions related to material manufacturing and building construction, as well as integrating climate adaptation and inclusion as central pieces of any decarbonization strategy.

In order to facilitate goal setting and monitoring, this new framework comprises four objectives to align with the Paris Agreement and the Climate Action Pathways: (1) Zero embodied carbon, (2) Zero operational carbon, (3) Adaptation and (4) Wellbeing and inclusion. These four objectives cut across five action areas: 

• Action Area 1: Strategic Priorities refers to national, regional and local development planning processes that define development objectives, their prioritization and implementation. This action area recognizes the  importance of embedding inclusive climate action in the buildings and construction sector at the highest level of governance to give a clear direction and mandate to line ministries and local governments for its implementation.
• Action Area 2: Spatial and Urban Development refers to the ways in which people use land at a country, regional and urban scale and the supportive regulations and processes, including land use regulations, urban development planning (i.e., master plan), urban project implementation and natural environment protection. Many spatial planning decisions impact the capacity to mitigate carbon emissions and ensure the adaptation and resiliency of the buildings and construction sector and the inclusion and wellbeing of the population.
• Action Area 3: Existing Buildings considers all building management phases, including operation, maintenance, renovation, refurbishment and decommissioning. It also includes the ways in which materials, systems and appliances are used and selected during the building's useful life. This action area considers, more specifically, the reduction of operational carbon emissions, the climate adaptation of the building stock, and circularity.
• Action Area 4: New Buildings includes all phases of planning and delivering a new building: project preparation, procurement, design and construction. It also considers material, system and appliance choices. Construction planning and delivery are critical phases for climate action. During those phases, architects, engineers and developers have the opportunity to make sustainable choices for the future.
• Action Area 5: Construction Supply Chain includes raw material extraction, system, appliance and material manufacturing, commercialization, importation and the norms regulating the supply chain. This action area is critical to reducing the building's embodied carbon by acting upstream, implementing circularity principles and ensuring sustainable production.

The methodology for roadmap development follows a seven-step process designed to promote inclusion and adaptability in diverse local contexts, and it is underpinned by easy-to-use tools, such as the Roadmap Assessment Tool.

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In 2025 nations must submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the UN. Policymakers face a crucial moment to shape the commitments that will set the course for tackling climate change and building resilience in the years ahead up to 2035. How we address the built environment in those NDCs will determine if our buildings are to become an obstacle or an ally to climate action.

To support countries to raise to this challenge and opportunity, the Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) have released an practical guide, NDCs for the Built Environment.

The guide is designed to equip policymakers, planners, and practitioners with a comprehensive framework to integrate ambitious climate actions within the buildings and construction sectors of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). As countries approach the 2025 deadline, this guide aims to encourage bold and transformative approaches adapted to country circumstances that fully harness the potential of the built environment for meaningful climate action.

The guide emphasizes that incremental gains are no longer enough to tackle the climate crisis, especially with the built environment responsible for 37% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions. To bridge this gap, NDCs for the Built Environment introduces a structured, five-step approach that enables countries to tailor their NDCs based on national circumstances and market maturity. With options to address key areas such as building energy codes, renewable energy, retrofitting, and urban resilience, the guide helps decision-makers develop robust and practical climate commitments.

PEEB and GlobalABC provide an adaptable “menu” of policies and enablers to meet countries’ diverse needs. Covering eight policy types and 42 specific measures, this guide encourages countries to customize their NDCs with strategies suited to their unique stage—whether building foundational policies, expanding existing frameworks, or achieving net-zero and high-resilience goals.

Importantly, the guide includes 27 enabling measures in finance, governance, capacity-building, equity, and digitalization, ensuring that these climate actions are supported by the resources and collaboration they require.

The guide will be presented at the COP29 during two events:

Nationally Determined Contributions for Sustainable, Inclusive Buildings and Cooling: Time for Bold Action
Monday, 18 November from 16:00 to 17:30 at the Buildings and Cooling Pavilion, Blue Zone.
Information about webcast

High Level Roundtable: Green Construction and Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Climate Resilience
On Wednesday, 20 November from 11:00 to 12:20, during the Ministerial Meeting on Urbanisation and Climate Change at Hirkan Room.
Information about webcast

Download the roadmap below 

Climate Action Roadmaps for Buildings and Construction Ghana was launched by the Ministry of Works and Housing of Ghana, on 23 October  in Accra.

This roadmap follows the new Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) framework, developed through a partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). It emphasizes reducing emissions and improving resilience across the entire life cycle of buildings, and sets ambitious short-, medium-, and long-term targets for decarbonizing the built environment, aligned with the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action. The roadmap is centred around four main cross-cutting objectives: (1) zero embodied carbon; (2) zero operational carbon; (3) adaptation; and (4) well-being and inclusion.

It identifies current gaps, challenges, and opportunities and develops a series of targets and actions towards 2050 to foster a more sustainable construction sector in Ghana. With this roadmap, Ghana sets specific objectives for the sector, such as 1) promoting the use of low-carbon materials, 2) improve buildings efficiency and increase resilience to climate change, and 3) make of sustainability a priority for the construction sector.

During his keynote speech, Deputy Housing Minister, Dr.Prince Hamid Armah, emphasized the need for broad collaboration to ensure the successful implementation of the ambitious plan to decarbonize the buildings and construction sector .“The success of this roadmap depends on the collaboration of all stakeholders—government entities, the private sector, financial institutions, and civil society,”- said Dr.Armah, who indicated that Ghana’s rapid urbanization and economic growth have increased the demand for construction materials, making it essential to adopt sustainable practices.

Download the roadmap below 

On 10 October 2024, in Dakar, Senegal, the Director General of Construction and Housing, as well as representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, the Directorate of Climate Change, Ecological Transition, and Green Financing in Senegal launched their national Climate Action Roadmap for Buildings and Construction.

This roadmap follows the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) framework, developed through a partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). It emphasizes reducing emissions and improving resilience across the entire life cycle of buildings, and sets ambitious short-, medium-, and long-term targets for decarbonizing the built environment, aligned with the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action. The roadmap is centred around four main cross-cutting objectives: (1) zero embodied carbon; (2) zero operational carbon; (3) adaptation; and (4) well-being and inclusion.

With great success and the strong involvement of public entities, the private sector, research institutions, academia, and numerous field practitioners, Senegal’s Roadmap sets ambitious actions and priorities for the decarbonization and resilience of the building sector. These efforts aim to achieve the 2030 and 2050 targets while informing the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Senegal is now in the spotlight, emerging as a pioneer and reference point in West Africa's construction sector. As the host of the African Biennale in November and December this year, Senegal aims to lead by example. Stakeholders have come together to endorse the Roadmap and affirm that the terms "Sustainable" and "Built Environment" can no longer be viewed in isolation.

Download the roadmap below 

Climate Action Roadmaps for Buildings and Construction Bangladesh has been launched by the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, on 7 October.

This roadmap follows the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) framework, developed through a partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). It emphasizes reducing emissions and improving resilience across the entire life cycle of buildings, and sets ambitious short-, medium-, and long-term targets for decarbonizing the built environment, aligned with the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action. The roadmap is centred around four main cross-cutting objectives: (1) zero embodied carbon; (2) zero operational carbon; (3) adaptation; and (4) well-being and inclusion.

Download the roadmap below