The debate is over. Climate change is here. We know what to do, and it’s time to do it.
When world leaders gather at COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, 9-20 November, the conversation must move beyond debating the need for climate action.
The science is clear, we are already feeling the impacts, and the built environment has a crucial role to play in shaping a more sustainable future.
For me, the central theme running through all discussions will be the need to deliver both climate mitigation and climate adaptation at the pace and scale the challenge demands.
Buildings and infrastructure are at the heart of this challenge. They account for significant emissions, yet they must also withstand the hotter, wetter and more volatile climate conditions that are our new reality.
Design and build for tomorrow today
That is why I will be championing a whole-life approach to building performance. We need to look beyond operational energy and place equal emphasis on embodied carbon, resilience, adaptability and long-term value. Every building constructed today must be designed for the climate of tomorrow, with passive design, energy efficiency and overheating prevention embedded from the outset.
At the same time, we cannot just build our way to net zero. Retrofitting existing buildings represents one of the greatest opportunities to reduce emissions while making homes, workplaces and public buildings more resilient. Accelerating investment in large-scale retrofit programmes must be a priority for governments and industry alike.
Circularity will also be a major focus of my discussions at COP31. I will be chairing a session on using digital twins to build the circular cities of the future, exploring how digital innovation can help transform the way we use and value resources.
Digital twins, materials passports and improved data management offer enormous potential to reduce waste, extend asset life and unlock material reuse at scale. If we are serious about reducing emissions and strengthening resilience, we must move beyond a linear model of consumption and view our built environment as a valuable resource bank for future generations.
Alongside technology, I will be speaking on a panel focused on skills for the transition. This is a partnership event with the Society for the Environment (SocEnv), who we’ll be representing as delegates at COP31, and the Renewable Energy Association (REA).
We need the people
Ultimately, none of our ambitions for future-fit buildings, resilient infrastructure or circular construction can be achieved without the right people. Climate literacy, digital capability, adaptation planning and circular economy principles must become core competencies across the built environment professions. This transition presents a tremendous opportunity to attract new talent, support a just transition and create high-quality careers that contribute to a more sustainable future.
My message at COP31 is straightforward: the solutions exist! We know how to design lower-carbon buildings, how to adapt places to a changing climate, and increasingly how to use digital technologies to make better decisions. What remains is the challenge of implementation.
As construction professionals, we occupy a unique position between ambition and delivery. The decisions we make today will shape communities for generations. That is why COP31 must be remembered not only for the commitments made, but for the action that followed. The era of debating whether change is necessary is behind us. The time for delivering that change, at pace and at scale, is now.
Saul Humphrey is president of CIOB and a professor of sustainable construction management at Anglia Ruskin University
