Architects to Phase Out Carbon by 2050
At the recent International Union of Architects (UIA) World Congress, member organizations representing over 1.3 million architects in 124 countries worldwide unanimously adopted the 2050 Imperative, a declaration to eliminate CO2 emissions in the built environment by 2050.
As important, all of the regional Architect Councils of Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa also signed on to the declaration, something that is unparalleled in the 65-year history of the UIA.
The 2050 Imperative was initiated and drafted by Architecture 2030, then delivered subsequently by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to the UIA World Congress in Durban, South Africa. Australian Institute of Architects CEO David Parken, with support from UIA President Albert Dubler, guided the 2050 Imperative through a number of committees and introduced it onto the floor of the Congress where it was unanimously adopted on August 8.
The 2050 Imperative states that:
- failing to act now on climate change will put future generations, and those already affected by extreme weather, natural disasters, and poverty, at great risk;
- urban areas are responsible for over 70 per cent of global CO2 emissions, mostly from buildings;
- over the next two decades an area roughly equal to 60 per cent of the world’s building stock will be built and rebuilt in urban areas; and
- this provides an unprecedented opportunity to reduce fossil fuel CO2 emissions to zero by 2050.
The UIA is committed to influencing ethical and socially responsible development throughout the world. With the adoption of the Imperative, member organizations are charged with promoting the planning and design of carbon neutral cities, towns, urban developments, and new buildings, in order achieve the 2050 target.
“We’re delighted that the UIA has adopted the 2050 Imperative. We look forward to working with all UIA member organizations to ensure that their architects and planners can meet its goals.”
Ed Mazria, Founder and CEO of Architecture 2030
The action items in the 2050 Imperative are based in part on the recent “Roadmap to Zero Emissions” developed by Architecture 2030 and presented at the UN Climate Change meeting in Bonn, Germany on June 10th, 2014.
“We have made great strides towards a sustainable built environment, but we still need to advance the industry to make sustainable design the de facto standard for all construction projects,” said AIA President, Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA. “Sustainable design practices implemented by the world’s architects will mitigate climate change and ultimately save lives.”
You can download the full 2050 Imperative declaration here (.pdf, 165K).
2050 Imperative Declaration Signatories
UIA – Union International des Architectes:
| Afghanistan | Architects Union of Afghanistan |
| Albania | Albanian Architects Association |
| Andorra | Collegi Official d’Arquitectes d’Andorra |
| Angola | Ordem dos Arquitectos de Angola |
| Armenia | The Union of Architects of Armenia |
| Australia | Australian Institute of Architects – AIA |
| Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan Union of Architects |
| Bahamas | Institute of Bahamian Architects |
| Baltic Countries | Baltic Architects Unions Association – BAUA |
| Bangladesh | Institute of Architects Bangladesh – IAB |
| Barbados | Barbados Institute of Architects |
| Belarus | Belarusian Union of Architects |
| Belgium | Fédération des sociétés d’architectes de Belgique – FAB |
| Belize | Association of Professional Architects of Belize |
| Benin | Ordre national des architectes et des urbanistes du Bénin |
| Bolivia | Colegio de Arquitectos de Bolivia |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | Association of Architects of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Brazil | Instituto de Arquitetos do Brasil |
| Brunei Darussalam | Pertubuhan Ukur Jurutera & Arkitek (Brunei) Architect Discipline |
| Bulgaria | Union of Architects in Bulgaria – UAB |
| Burkina Faso | Ordre des Architectes Du Burkina |
| Cameroon | Ordre National des Architectes du Cameroun |
| Canada | The Royal Architectural institute of Canada – RAIC |
| Cape Verde | Ordem dos Arquitectos Cabo-Verdianos |
| Central African Republic | Ordre Centrafricain des architectes |
| Chad | Organisation des Architectes du Tchad – OAT |
| China | The Architectural Society of China – ASC |
| Colombia | Sociedad Colombiana de Arquitectos |
| Congo (Democratic Republic of) | Société des Architectes du Congo – SAC |
| Congo (Republic of) | Ordre des Architectes du Congo |
| Costa Rica | Colegio de Arquitectos de Costa Rica |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Conseil National de l’Ordre des Architectes de Côte d’Ivoire |
| Croatia | Croatian Architects Association |
| Cyprus | The Cyprus Civil Eng. & Architects Association |
| Denmark | Akademik Arkitektforening |
| Egypt | The Society of Egyptian Architects |
| Estonia | Union of Estonian Architects |
| Ethiopia | Association of Ethiopian Architects |
| Fiji | Fiji Association of Architects |
| Finland | Finnish Association of Architects – SAFA |
| France | Conseil International des Architectes Français |
| FYR of Macedonia | Association of Architects of Macedonia |
| Gabon | Ordre Gabonais des architectes |
| Georgia | Union of Architects of Georgia |
| Ghana | Ghana Institute of Architects |
| Greece | Chambre Technique de Grèce |
| Haiti | Association Haïtienne des architectes et des urbanistes |
| Honduras | Colegio de Arquitectos de Honduras |
| Hong Kong | The Hong Kong Institute of Architects |
| Hungary | Association of Hungarian Architects |
| India | The Indian Institute of Architects |
| Indonesia | Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia |
| Ireland | The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland |
| Island | Arkitektafelag Islands |
| Israel | Israel Association of United Architects |
| Italy | Consiglio Nazionale Degli Architetti, Planificatori, Paesaggisti e Conservatori |
| Jamaica | The Jamaican Institute of Architects |
| Japan | Japan Institute of Architects |
| Kazakhstan | Union des Architectes du Kazakhstan |
| Kenya | The Architectural Association of Kenya |
| Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of) | Korean Architects Union – KAU |
| Korea (Republic of) | Federation of Institutes of Korean Architects |
| Kosovo | Architects Association of Kosovo |
| Kuwait | Kuwait Society of Engineers |
| Kyrghyzstan | Union of Architects of Kyrgyz Republic |
| Lao People’s Democratic Republic | Association of Lao Architects and Civil Engineers |
| Latvia | The Latvia Association of Architects |
| Lebanon | Ordre des Ingenieurs et Architectes du Liban |
| Lithuania | Architects Association of Lithuania |
| Luxembourg | Ordres des Architectes et Ingénieurs Conseils |
| Macao | Associação dos Arquitectos de Macau |
| Malawi | Malawi Institute of Architects – MIA |
| Malaysia | Malaysian Institute of Architects – PAM |
| Mali | Ordre des Architectes du Mali |
| Malta | Kamra Tal-Periti |
| Mauritania | Ordre Mauritanien des Architectes |
| Mauritius | The Mauritius Association of Architects – MAA |
| Mexico | Federacion de Colegios de Arquitectos de la R. Mexicana |
| Mongolia | Union of Mongolian Architects |
| Morocco | Ordre des Architectes du Maroc |
| Namibia | Namibia Institute of Architects |
| Netherlands Antilles | Sosiedat di Arkitekto i Ingeniero Antiano – SAIA |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Institute of Architects |
| Niger | Ordre des architectes du Niger – OAN |
| Nigéria | The Nigerian Institute of Architects |
| Nordic Countries | Norske Arkitekters Landsforbund |
| Norway | Norske Arkitekters Landsforbund |
| Pakistan | Institute of Architects of Pakistan |
| Palestine | Association of Architects in Palestina |
| Philippines | United Architects of the Philippines |
| Poland | Stowarzyszenie Architektow Polskich |
| Portugal | Ordem dos Arquitectos |
| Puerto Rico | Colegio de Arq.de Puerto Rico |
| Romania | Ordinul Arhitectilor din Romania – OAR |
| Russia (Federation of) | Union of Architects of Russia |
| Rwanda | Association of Architects of Rwanda |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Ordem dos Engenheiros e Arquitectos de Sao Tomé et Principe |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Umran Society – SUS |
| Serbia | Union of Architects of Serbia – UAS |
| Sierra Leone | Sierra Leone Institute of Architects |
| Singapore | Singapore Institute of Architects – SIA |
| Slovak Republic | Slovak Architects Society – SAS |
| Slovenia | Chamber of Architecture & Spatial Planning of Slovenia – CASP |
| South Africa | The South African Institute of Architects – SAIA |
| Spain | Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Institute of Architects |
| Sudan | Sudanese Institute of Architects |
| Suriname | Unie Van Architekten |
| Sweden | Swedish Association of Architects |
| Switzerland | Conférence Suisse des Architectes – CSA |
| Syrian Arab Republic | Order of Syrian Engineers and Architects |
| Chinese Taipei | The National Association of Architects – NAAROC |
| Tajikistan | The Union of Architects of the Tadjikistan Republic |
| Tanzania (The United Republic of) | The Architects Association of Tanzania |
| Thailand | The Association of Siamese Architects |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Trinidad & Tobago Institute of Architects |
| Tunisia | Ordre des Architectes de Tunisie – OAT |
| Turkey | Chamber of Architects of Turkey |
| Uganda | Uganda Society of Architects |
| Ukraine | Union of Architects of Ukraine |
| United Kingdom | Royal Institute of British Architects – RIBA |
| United States | The American Institute of Architects |
| Uzbekistan | Uzbek Union of Architects |
| Viet Nam | Viet-Nam Association of Architects – KTSVN |
| Zambia | Zambia Institute of Architects |
ARCASIA – Architects Council of Asia
AUA – African Union of Architects
ACE – Architects Council of Europe
FPAA/FAPA – Federation of Pan-American Architects
CAA – Commonwealth Association of Architects
UMAR – Union Mediterraneenne des Architects
CA – Canberra Accord
UIA Young Architects
CIALP – International Council of Portuguese Speaking Architect
DO.CO.MO.MO – Serbia
FAU – foundation des Architectes de I’Urgence
Active House Alliance
ICOMOS – International Council of Monuments and Sites
WGBC – World Green Building Council
Supporting Organization
Architecture 2030
Architecture 2030 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization with the mission of rapidly transforming the built environment from the major contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to a central part of the solution to the climate and energy crises. Architecture 2030 pursues two primary objectives:
- the dramatic reduction in global fossil fuel consumption and GHG emissions of the built environment by changing the way cities, communities, infrastructure, and buildings, are planned, designed, and constructed and;
- the regional development of an adaptive, resilient built environment that can manage the impacts of climate change, preserve natural resources, and access low-cost, renewable energy resources.
More info: visit architecture2030.org, or follow Architecture 2030 on Twitter and Facebook.
