The publication, from the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, reviews global trends in floor area growth, energy demand and emissions, and assesses progress against the sector’s decarbonisation commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction have released the 2025–2026 'Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction'. According to the publication, the buildings and construction sector continues to expand, with rising demand for materials, energy and new construction. While efficiency improvements and cleaner power have slowed the growth of emissions, overall progress remains insufficient. The Global Buildings Climate Tracker shows that the sector is not on the trajectory required to achieve full decarbonisation by 2050, with a widening gap between current trends and the necessary pathway.
Operational emissions increased between 2015 and 2024, and embodied emissions from cement, steel and aluminium remain stable at around 2.1 GtCO₂ per year. The report notes that fossil fuels continue to dominate heating, cooling and cooking in many regions, and that policies to phase them out are still limited. At the same time, the need to retrofit existing buildings and ensure that new construction meets zero‑emission and climate‑resilient standards is becoming more urgent.
The publication highlights that buildings play a central role in climate mitigation, resilience and social well‑being. It stresses that better design, energy efficiency and climate‑resilient construction can reduce emissions while improving affordability, health and safety. Governments contributing to the report underline the importance of stronger data, monitoring and policy implementation to accelerate progress.
