11th Carbon Crunch report

Climate change is having a devastating impact on communities around the world. Raging wildfires, intense rainfall and unprecedented flooding are increasingly dominating the news.

In the construction industry and built environment sector as a whole, we have a huge potential to make a difference, which is why I am delighted to bring you the highlights of the 2023 Carbon Crunch event in this report. Throughout these pages you will find details of the key points made during the event and be able to delve deeper into what was said by clicking on the videos from the livestream recorded on the day.

Collaboration is essential to harness the potential I believe this industry has. This need for collaboration is why the interactive content in this report is essential material for anyone working in the built environment. We can’t physically bring the whole industry together in one room but, by reading this report and watching the linked videos, you can tap into what industry leaders are doing around the climate change challenge and act on their advice today.

Resilience challenge

Nonetheless, reducing emissions is only part of the challenge we are facing. Adapting our existing infrastructure, to ensure it is fit for the future and is also climate resilient, is also a really key issue.

The most recent report from the Climate Change Committee on England’s progress on adaptation highlighted concerns that the UK is “strikingly unprepared”.

This autumn has shown that the government policy landscape is subject to change. But, whatever current policy is, it is obvious to me that the private sector has a critical role to play in delivering clear leadership and steering the right course on both decarbonisation and adaptation.

This only goes to emphasise why the 11th Carbon Crunch is as relevant as the first one was a decade ago.

In 2013, the inspiration for Carbon Crunch came from the publication of the Infrastructure Carbon Review which, among other things, identified effective leadership as critical to delivering carbon reduction. That document firmly placed clients in the driving seat – and gave everyone else in the supply chain a clear responsibility to deliver on decarbonisation too.

Collaboration is essential to harness the potential

Compelling business case

The Infrastructure Carbon Review set out that cutting carbon is not just important for slowing the rate of climate change; there is a compelling business case to it too. Essentially, done right it can be a win-win and this is a message that comes through loud and clear in our keynote addresses from Lord Deben and the Ministry of Defence’s Richard Nugee.

Carbon Crunch brings together senior leaders from across the built environment to put us all in the best possible place to learn, engage and support each other on the path to net zero and climate adaptation.

Looking over the content of this report makes me feel optimistic about our ability to decarbonise and build in climate resilience. It will not be easy, but it is possible.