News

As the COP29 climate change conference opens today, our two recently appointed Student Ambassadors share the following on behalf of AD's Steering Group:

The Conference of the Parties (COP) annual meeting of the UNFCCC has historically been a vehicle for significant change. As we crafted this COP statement, we both reflected on growing up alongside the rise of climate activism. Seeing Greta Thunberg - a member of our own generation - ignite a global movement and bring climate discussions to every household was pivotal in shaping our awareness of climate justice. Through the School Climate Strike Movement, she applied pressure not only on governments but also mobilised people worldwide to consider their environmental impact. She became a household name and so did COP.

Meanwhile, it was from a UN International Panel on Climate Change special report that discussions leading to the founding of UK Architects Declare began, marking the beginning of a collective recognition within the built environment of the urgent need for change.

As these movements surpass their fifth anniversaries, the first global stocktake took place at COP28 to assess collective progress. The findings show that:

• The current efforts are still insufficient to meet the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement, and implementation of commitments needs to be accelerated and scaled up
• There is an urgent need for a transition away from fossil fuels- notably, not a complete phase out of fossil fuels
• Current adaptation measures are not keeping pace with rising risks
• Increased, equitable, financial support is necessary to implement climate actions effectively

The recent UN Emissions Gap Report also highlights the urgency of the situation, illustrating that our current approach places us on a trajectory toward a 3°C rise - a temperature our Earth cannot tolerate.

Reflecting on the last five years, we feel that the upsurge in climate action in 2019 was unsustained. We feel let down that the actions and commitments since still fell short of delivering the transformational change we should have witnessed.

We need to look beyond a reductionist approach and strive for the regeneration of our natural systems.

As we approach COP29, we urge our government to lead by example and champion discussions aimed at bold, transformative change. By signing the Declaration de Chaillot following COP28, the UK government has reaffirmed its commitment to climate resilience within the built environment. Given the built environment's significant contribution to UK emissions, it has the potential to set a powerful precedent for other sectors on the path to a sustainable future. The UK government now has a unique opportunity to inspire global action by creating a truly regenerative built environment.

While policies addressing housing and energy are in place, we draw attention to AD's Building Blocks - a manifesto for comprehensive, holistic action aimed at a regenerative approach to the built environment. Adopting the Building Blocks framework would allow the UK government to catalyse a ripple effect, inspiring other sectors, countries, and the global community to adopt innovative changes necessary to restore our climate.

We want to see the implementation of innovative national policy, informed by light-footed student and industry-led organising, to ignite lagging global action at COP29.

- Anushka Gupta and Amy Thompson, UK Architects Declare Student Ambassadors

Architects Declare held our second global meeting with representatives from 19 'declared' countries discussing what's working from us all, challenges faced and how we can best work together.

Three new declarations have launched, bringing the number of countries involved with Architects Declare to 23. Finland, the US and the Czech Republic are now part of Construction Declares and will be a part of our ongoing strategy of how best to take action in relation to the Climate and Biodiversity Crisis.

We had our first International meeting this morning with 35 people, from 15 countries, across 19 time zones sharing inspiration about how they are approaching the Architects Declare declaration points.