CANCUN, MEXICO-As delegates work to advance a new global climatechange pact at the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Changeconference, 40 environmental and business organizations joinedforces to urge governments to prioritize reducing greenhouse gasemissions from the built environment and increase investment inthis sector. Partners in a new broad-based international actionnetwork called the Global Leadership in Our Built EnvironmentAlliance, led in partnership by the USGBC together with the WorldGreen Building Council and its members, environmentalorganizations, and businesses, are working together around theworld to advocate for sustainable building and infrastructurepractices as a key strategy for combating climate change.

“While diplomats try to hammer out a new agreement on climate,the world is not stopping its economic development. China isprojected to build the equivalent of 10 New York Cities over thenext decade,” said Jane Henley, CEO of the World Green BuildingCouncil, a leading organizer of the GLOBE Alliance at the event.“We must immediately begin putting the policies and financialmeasures in place to decouple economic growth from its impacts onthe climate and the environment, in both developing and developednations.”

Henley continued that “We’re asking parties to make sure thatbuilding efficiency measures, sustainable urban development andtransport strategies in the programs are fundamental platform beingnegotiated under the Framework Convention—and we’re calling ongovernments to commence rigorous sustainability and investmentplans for these sectors when they return home from Cancun.”