According to new study from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), regulation is the most effective means to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions from buildings - "a sector which accounts for some 30-40 % of global energy use."
Released in a study titled "Assessment of policy instruments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings" at the Sustainable Buildings 07 conference in Prague two days ago, these findings are vital to the continued development of the green construction industry.
"According to the latest assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, around 30 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 2020 by measures such as improved energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings. Importantly, this could lead to gains in global GDP-not costs," said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director
"The new UNEP SBCI study demonstrates the critical roles that governments need to take in establishing, implementing, and enforcing regulatory policies so as to realize these emission reductions and these environmental, social and economics gains," he said.
Interested in reading the report yourself? Supported by a database that showcases the lessons learned from the 80 case studies, copies can be downloaded from the UNEP Sustainable Buildings and Construction Initiative website.
[via ENN]
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