THERE IS a global call to action to ensure that inefficient and high-carbon construction does not become a liability, as expanding building space increases demand for raw materials and energy, fuelling higher greenhouse gas emissions that promote global warming.

The warming of the planet, in turn, triggers a range of climate change impacts – from sea level rise to extreme hurricane events, the likes of which devastated Jamaica last October when Hurricane Melissa levelled sections of the island. In its wake was devastation on a scale Jamaicans have not before witnessed, with billions in damage, lives lost and livelihoods destroyed.

“Carbon emissions from cement, steel and aluminium used in buildings alone accounted for nine per cent of global emissions in 2024. These emissions have not changed significantly through the years, remaining around 2.1 GtCO₂ (gigatonnes of carbon dioxide), showing the urgency to establish policies to address these emissions in the construction sector,” revealed the latest Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025–2026.