Mind the gap – a carbon and biodiversity position paper for the built environment

This paper addresses the challenges of implementing the Paris Agreement’s climate goals within the built environment. It introduces an innovative ‘whole life carbon’ approach that integrates life-cycle assessment (LCA), carbon impact calculations and ecological footprint assessments. Three LCA quantification methods are explored, emphasising the pursuit of emissions transparency and adherence to ISO standards. The carbon impact assessment (CIA) methodology is presented as a suite of techniques which can also be used for predicting climate temperature rise. Three case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in evaluating various building scenarios. The research underscores the urgency of bridging the emissions gap and highlights the interconnectedness of resource use, biodiversity loss and carbon dioxide absorption, with potential links to economic and financial decisions. Collectively, these support the United Nations sustainable development goals: SDG 7 Affordable and clean energy; SDG 9 Industry, innovation, and infrastructure; SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities; SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production; SDG 13 Climate action; and SDG 15 Life on land. The authors advocate for larger-scale studies, consideration of embodied carbon in commuting assessments and the application of the proposed approach as a practical and comprehensive tool to contribute to climate change mitigation in the built environment.