The context

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The Paris Agreement is the first climate agreement that attributes the same level of importance to adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

Earth’s average surface temperature has risen about 1 °C from 1880. By 2100, scientists gathered in the Climeri-France platform project a temperature increase of 7°C. In 2017, losses due to meteorological disasters amounted to 200 billion USD and 8 000 victims at the global level. Losses linked to housing accounted for half of total losses. Besides, covering current risks faced by the built environment (storms, flooding, tsunami, earthquakes) would require saving 300 billion USD yearly. Damages vary greatly depending on regions.

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Adaptation to climate change implies reducing negative impacts from climate change through reduction of vulnerability and increase of resilience. Vulnerability derives from exposure, sensitivity and adaptative capacity. Yet, few adaptation strategies developed at national level include a focus on buildings. In the real estate industry, some actors including investors and asset managers have adaptation strategies but knowledge on the current state of practices remains scattered.

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Many issues have been raised by the real estate industry and public authorities:

• What are the physical risks for buildings?

• What is the cost of the adaptation of buildings to climate change and the cost of non-adaptation?

• What is the available data on climate risks and the exposure of buildings?

• What are the possible actions to improve the adaptation of buildings to climate change?

 

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The project

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To address these issues, a working group on the adaptation of buildings to climate change has been set under the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction. Coordinated by OID, the working group gathers representatives from governments, international institutions, local authorities as well as associations of real estate professionals. 

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A report published during the second semester 2020 will meet 2 objectives:

- Present the state of play on the adaptation of buildings to climate change;

- Propose recommendations to the different actors involved (governments, local authorities, property developers, investors, insurers, engineers, architects, property and facility managers). 

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The steps are:

• December 2018: Launch of the working group at the COP 24;

• January 2019-April 2019: Literature review;

• May-August 2019: Interviews with experts;

• June-August 2019: Online survey on the adaptation strategies;

• October 2019-February 2020: Review of best practices; 

• October 2019-April 2020: Review of recommendations by experts;

• December 2019: Presentation at COP25;

• May 2020: Report available to public consultation;

• October 2020: ICARE 2020 - International Conference on Adaptation of the real estate industry to climate risks;

• Autumn 2020: Public presentation of the report.

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The survey

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A survey on the adaptation strategies is open for contribution until January 30, 2020. It is available at this link.

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Contact

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For more information, please contact OID:

contact@o-immobilierdurable.fr.