A new report from the UN Environment Programme reveals that operational emissions from buildings rose by 1 percent in 2024, reaching 9.9 gigatonnes of CO2. While energy intensity has improved since 2015, rapid construction in emerging economies is outpacing current decarbonization efforts. The sector now accounts for nearly 37 percent of global emissions. With renewables meeting only 17.3 percent of building energy demand, the report warns of a massive investment gap, estimating that 5.9 trillion USD is needed by 2030 to meet net-zero targets.
