How can the built environment be a lever in meeting national climate commitments and development goals? How does the construction sector contribute? This workshop explores these questions through a practical focus on implementing built‑environment measures within countries’ NDCs. It examines governance challenges at the intersection of climate action and development, highlighting where delivery systems fall short and where implementation capacity must be strengthened to achieve global goals.

The workshop moves beyond high‑level frameworks to concentrate on the regulatory, financial, institutional, and coordination mechanisms that enable real‑world impact. Participants will analyse how the built environment contributes to NDCs, identify gaps in current approaches, and explore strategies and tools to integrate and operationalise built‑environment actions in future national commitments, including through the use of roadmaps. Through targeted case studies and structured group work, the workshop will generate a set of priority implementation actions that countries and partners can adopt to accelerate progress and turn ambition into measurable outcomes.

The workshop will produce a focused set of priority implementation actions that countries can embed in upcoming NDC updates or implementation strategies to accelerate delivery of built‑environment measures. It will synthesise the key governance, regulatory, financial, and coordination mechanisms, data collection and capacity development systems needed to turn commitments into real‑world outcomes, alongside a clear articulation of the main implementation barriers and gaps identified across case studies and group discussions. Discussions will also focus on roadmaps as a common tool used by, among others, the GLobalABC, World Green Building Council, and the GCCA.  Participants will generate practical recommendations for strengthening the integration and execution of built‑environment actions in NDCs and their implementation strategies, contributing directly to the summit’s final report and supporting countries in translating ambition into measurable impact.

NDC Scorecard for Sustainable Buildings – World Green Building Council
Nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. Synthesis report by the secretariat | UNFCCC
Sustainable built environments & the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – World Green Building Council
Nationally Determined Contributions | GlobalABC