Cities can accelerate decarbonization in the built environment by implementing whole life carbon policies, aligning standards and methodologies, and acting as test beds for innovative approaches. By fostering public–private collaboration, establishing enabling policies, and steering investment toward low-carbon solutions, they enable industry to transition in line with net-zero pathways while scaling best practices globally.
With this framework, we take the first step toward answering three critical questions:
- How do cities implement whole life carbon processes?
- How can greater consistency and comparability accelerate the net-zero transition by creating an ambition loop
between businesses and policymakers? - How can this contribute to market transformation in the built environment?
By applying a consistent assessment framework across cities, we help local authorities strengthen their approaches and benchmark their progress, while giving businesses clearer signals on expectations, performance direction, and emerging best practices. This supports more confident investment, innovation, and the scaling of low-carbon solutions aligned with net-zero pathways.
