RICS to join stakeholders at climate talks in Paris

RICS to join stakeholders at climate talks in Paris

RICS will join stakeholders from governments, industry and civil society to support efforts to reach an agreement at the crucial climate change summit to be hosted by the United Nations, in Paris at the end of the month.

According to a press release, the built environment has a vital role to play in helping governments meet their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions targets. These targets will be central when 196 governments meet in Paris for the crucial summit, called the 21st Conference of the Parties or COP21. The commitments made in Paris could have far-reaching repercussions for the built environment, and the global economy more generally.

Sean Tompkins, RICS Chief Executive Officer, was quoted in the release as saying, “The property sector has a huge influence on the global financial system. We want to leverage this influence to support the efforts of governments as they negotiate a new climate deal in Paris.”

Buildings are some of the biggest emitters of CO2 accounting for one-third of global greenhouse gasses.  Commercial and residential buildings also account for 40 per cent of the world’s energy consumption. RICS is working with its members in the land, real estate and construction sectors to find solutions across the property lifecycle to support more sustainable business practices.

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Sachin Sandhir, Global MD – Emerging Business, RICS, “The real estate sector in India is one of the top most contributors of CO2, and with demand still growing at a rapid pace for housing and commercial sector, this situation is getting severe. RICS in India has been advocating action areas for sustainable development especially creating successful and sustainable future cities, creating talent and use of modern technologies for construction.”