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National Institute of Building Sciences Signs Communique to the United Nations on Climate Change

Led by Architecture 2030, NIBS joins more than 60 organizations committing to 1.5°C Paris Agreement target

(WASHINGTON, DC, October 6, 2021) – The National Institute of Building Sciences today joined more than 60 organizations to sign the 1.5°C United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) Communiqué, challenging world governments to meet the Paris Agreement’s carbon emissions reduction budget that will ensure that global warming does not exceed 1.5°C. Architecture 2030 is spearheading this unprecedented joint initiative.

The signing of the communique leads up to the UN Climate Change COP26 conference, which takes place October 31 to November 12 in Glasgow, Scotland. The goal of the conference is to secure the continued cooperation among nations to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and the threat of climate change.

The built environment is responsible for more than 40% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, and as such, those who design, build and regulate buildings hold tremendous potential to reduce a significant portion of the world’s carbon emissions. To ensure global warming does not exceed 1.5°C and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, scientists say we must reduce carbon emissions from all sectors, including the built environment, 50-65% by 2030 and fully decarbonize by 2040.

“NIBS stands with all members of the global built environment to meet the 1.5°C carbon target,” says Lakisha A. Woods, President and CEO of NIBS. “The changing climate affects every person in every corner of the globe, and we pledge to do our part to help mitigate climate change.“

Since its inception by Congress in 1974, NIBS has worked with public and private building industry allies in the areas of energy conservation, sustainability, resilience, and notably natural hazard mitigation, sharing knowledge on how mitigation protects lives, improves safety, prevents property loss, and decreases disruption of daily life.  

The Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves 2019 Report outlines measures that communities, local governments, land owners, developers, and tenants can take to reduce the increasingly destructive impact of  flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires. Its exhaustive benefit-cost analysis weighs the effects of various mitigation strategies, from adopting up-to-date building codes and exceeding codes to retrofitting existing buildings and utility and transportation infrastructure.

About NIBS

National Institute of Building Sciences brings together labor and consumer interests, government representatives, regulatory agencies, and members of the building industry to identify and resolve problems and potential problems around the construction of housing and commercial buildings. NIBS is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization. It was established by Congress in 1974. For more information, visit nibs.org or follow @bldgsciences on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact
Christine Cube
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(202) 289-7800
ccube@nibs.org