Abstract:

The IPCC officially released its Working Group III report, “climate change 2022: mitigation of climate change”, in April 2022. This report builds on the published Working Group I, and Working Group II reports, to assess progress in global climate change mitigation work. Chapter 9 of Working Group III report, provides a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the current trends and drivers of global building sector, technical and non-technical measures to reduce emissions, and quantitative overviews of the potential and costs of global and regional mitigation measures. This report discusses the relationship between mitigation and adaptation measures, sustainable development, and key policy barriers and feasible measures. Global building emissions scenario analysis show that it is possible to achieve net-zero GHG emissions in building sector by 2050 if strong policies for sufficiency, efficiency, and renewable energy are adopted and effectively implemented, and all barriers to decarbonization are removed. If policies are not effectively implemented, there is the potential for decades of high carbon lock-in effect in buildings. There is significant potential for emissions reductions in all regions of the world, in both new and existing buildings. Adopting emission reduction measures in buildings also contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and using buildings to adapt to future climate change. The main findings of the report will be an important reference for global action on climate change in the building sector, and will be very important implications for China’s building sector to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutral targets.

Key words: IPCC AR6, Buildings, Climate change, Mitigation, Carbon neutrality