Two sides of the same coin: Mitigation and Adaptation
Mitigation and Adaption are the two levers we can pull in the face of a changing climate. We can reduce our green-house-gas (GHG) emissions through incorporating renewable energy sources, promoting low-emission materials, and embedding a circular economy. We can adapt our built environment by promoting Resiliency - by considering future climate hazards - to sustain and progress our natural, economic, and community systems.
Both of these levers do not need to be mutually exclusive. Resiliency can benefit from mitigation solutions and vice versa - creating a sustainable and secure future.
So what are we currently emitting and how can we use Resilience principles to reduce emissions?
Current State of our Emissions
To understand how mitigation and adaptation interrelate we need to understand GHG emission sources. If I just say in 2023 humans emitted the equivalent of 61 BILLION tonnes of CO2 (excluding land use and forestry) this wouldn't be helpful.
Percentage is proportion. Proportion is perspective.
If we break up this 61 billion tonnes by the 9 major sectors we start to get a better picture.
__ Power is electricity generation.
__ Manufacturing is the production of usable materials (cement, iron, steel, aluminium etc) from raw materials.
__ Fossil Fuel Operations is production, refining, and mining of oil, gas, and coal.
__ Transportation is fuel use in aviation, shipping, railways and on-road vehicles.
__ Agriculture is growing crops and livestock.
__ Buildings is fuel use in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings.
__ Waste is solid waste disposal in any form.
__ Fluorinated Gases is leakage from refrigeration, air conditioning, transport, and industry.
__ Mineral Extraction is mining minerals and ores
Of these 9 sectors, Power, Manufacturing, Transport, and Buildings make up our direct and indirect energy and process emissions. Just these 4 sectors make up nearly two thirds (63.8%) of global emissions.
It is these 4 sectors that relate to our built environment. Let’s have a look at just these sectors to get an understanding of the proportion our built environment contributes to global emissions.
Our built environment is essentially our buildings and our infrastructure. Considering their life-cycle, both buildings and infrastructure cause emissions through their construction from the production of material such as iron, steel, cement, and aluminum. Buildings also emit GHG through their operations - mostly through the energy required from electrical and mechanical services.
Of direct and indirect energy and processes our built environment makes up 42% of emissions. That is 26.8% of global emissions! A quarter of emissions comes from what we build to service our communities.
Going one step further: our built environment consumes 100% of the cement production, 59% of the iron and steel production, and 41% of aluminum production.
The way in which we build plays a significant role in our path to Net Zero. The good news is emission reduction can be performed not just through direct measures but also through embedding Resiliency in infrastructure planning and construction.
Using Resiliency to Mitigate
There are many ways in which we can simultaneously build for Resilience and Mitigation. I have summarised the 3 of the most impactful strategies that we can currently use in our infrastructure planning to benefit our communities.
Build to last for longer
If we build it right the first time, then we do not need to build it again and again. The longer our built environment lasts the less materials we buy and therefore emit less GHGs and spend less money. Pretty simple. Lower costs, lower emissions.
How do we ensure that what we built lasts? To put this into practice we need to consider the factors that would reduce and increase the life of our buildings and infrastructure.
The largest risk to our built environment is the impact of climate hazards. Flooding, storm swells, drought, and wildfires are all becoming more frequent and intense. They are creating disaster situations that prematurely end the life of our buildings and infrastructure.
Incorporating climate forecasts into community planning will uncover the low-risk build areas. Understanding potential intensity of future climate hazards can help determine best construction materials and practices. This could mean using stronger materials that have a higher embedded carbon but actually emit less over the entire life-cycle because they last longer.
Decentralise energy sources
A sure way to build Resiliency in our communities’ power demand is to mitigate the risks that disaster has on our energy infrastructure.
Currently the largest risk during disaster is a centralised power grid where people rely on a system that has a single point of failure. When disaster strikes this can leave communities without power for days or months.
A decentralised system mitigates this by incorporating many power sources into a single system. This means that if one or more power sources go offline then the grid can still be supplied - leaving people with power during times when they need it the most.
The cheapest and effective path to a decentralsied power grid is through renewable energy. Solar and wind do not rely on a centralised grid to operate. Solar can be placed on roofs and supply itself and the community when needed.
Using renewable energy systems will always be a better alternative to fossil fuels on the path to Net Zero. Incorporating resiliency considers how we set up renewable energy systems and provide energy to our communities.
Create biodiverse environments
A changing climate means hotter days for longer. Combined with increasing urbanisation, urban heat islands develop as hard surfaces absorb, store, and radiate heat. This exposes our communities to the effects of urban heat.
The use of natural systems can help combat urban heat through shielding the build environment from direct sunlight and therefore cooling our communities. Tree canopies, vegetated roof and walls, and waterways can provide shade and release water into the atmosphere.
Natural systems also sequester carbon and so are an important element in the pathway to Net Zero. This is a way in which building for Resiliency is considering all of the interrelated systems that our community rely.
Further Reading
Built Environment Direct & Indirect Emissions
Western Power Stand-alone Power Systems
City of Melbourne Urban Forest Strategy
If you want to learn more about simultaneously mitigating emissions and building Resiliency then reach out and let us collaborate for stronger communities.
