Research: CO2 footprint of construction sector to double by 2050

A new international study warns that the construction sector's carbon footprint could double by 2050, jeopardizing global climate goals. The authors call for a global “materials revolution”: a transition to low-carbon, circular, and biobased building materials.

The study provides the most comprehensive global analysis of construction emissions to date, examining 49 countries and regions and 163 sectors between 1995 and 2022. In 2022, more than 55% of the construction sector's CO2 emissions came from cement, bricks, and metals, while glass, plastics, chemicals, and biomaterials contributed 6%, and the remaining 37% came from transportation, services, machinery, and construction site activities.

The study shows that the construction sector is currently responsible for one-third of global CO₂ emissions, compared to approximately 20% in 1995. If the current trend continues, by 2025 the sector could exceed the annual CO₂ budget needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, and from 2040 onwards, it could also exceed the budget associated with a 2-degree warming.

Alarming

Based on historical data, various future scenarios for emissions have been predicted. In the scenario where everything remains the same, the carbon footprint of the construction sector alone will exceed the annual CO₂ budget for the 1.5°C and 2°C targets in the next two decades, without taking other sectors into account. Despite efficiency improvements, total emissions will still have risen by 30 percent by 2050.

“Between 2023 and 2050, cumulative construction-related emissions are expected to reach 440 gigatons of CO2—enough to consume the entire remaining global CO2 budget for 1.5°C,” explains researcher and author Prajal Pradhan.

Call for a ‘material revolution’

The authors call for a global ‘material revolution’: a transition to low-carbon, circular, and biobased building materials such as engineered wood, bamboo, and recycled materials. High-income countries should focus on innovation, renovation, and regulation, while developing countries need financial and technological support to make the leap to sustainable construction methods.