Resource Efficiency and Climate Change: Material Efficiency Strategies for a Low-Carbon Future

About this book

This UNEP International Resource Panel report examines how material efficiency strategies in the buildings and vehicles sectors can contribute to climate change mitigation, quantifying the greenhouse gas reduction potential of using less material, extending product lifetimes, designing for reuse, and improving recycling rates. It demonstrates that material efficiency in construction alone could reduce global emissions by several gigatonnes of CO2 annually, providing a robust evidence base for policymakers and sustainable construction professionals pursuing circular economy approaches to decarbonization.