This action checklist helps government policymakers in uptaking, implementing, and localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a tool for better policies and living quality.  It covers (1) policies and strategies, (2) multi-level governance, (3) financing and budgeting, (4) data and information, and (5) sta ...

The oil industry invented “net zero” as the perfect alternative to slowing oil production to halt global heating.  The netting deducts some carbon from total CO₂ emissions to create “net zero emissions”.  The oil industry thereby claims to capture and store CO₂, while using this “captured carbon” for enhanced oil recov ...

Construction circularity is identified in 1) material design, 2) building design, 3) construction and facility management, 4) urban sustainability development, and 5) system precondition.  These five broad categories represent different levels of circularity implementation in construction and can be further decomposed ...

The Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) allows companies to identify circular value from their products and materials and mitigate risks from material price volatility and material supply.  It enables users to analyze and evaluate a range of environmental, regulatory, and supply chain risks for their designs and produ ...

The private and public sectors need to create a level playing field for circular materials, products and services to become the new normal in the built environment.  The transition to a circular economy calls for introducing new valuation methods and implementing long-term policies that encourage the scaling of circula ...

To avoid the use of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for greenwashing, construction projects must include both long-term and short-term factors in assessing their SDG sustainability.  However, companies rarely use SDG assessments as a tool for decisions for real change towards more sustainable and equitable cor ...

Climate change transition and a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape confront the asset management industry with considerable challenges and present risks and opportunities for investing.  Asset managers must strengthen disclosure of the climate-related risks and opportunities and support “sustainability” initiatives ...

Collaboration with businesses, public institutions, and civil society organizations is generally seen with a thumbs-up or a comment on a social media posting.  Individuals often express interest in engaging in a collaborative initiative, but seldom follow through with collaborative action.  This article suggests that w ...

The earth’s atmosphere, natural resources, and biological ecosystems are of fundamental value to business and society, much of which is destroyed through the ways we use these complex and fragile systems.  Meeting the challenges of climate change, resource depletion, and ecosystem loss calls for improved collaboration ...

This report demonstrates to real estate investors and construction clients the value and process of implementing circular economy principles in the built environment.  How value is created from real estate assets is determined and established by investors and construction clients through investment requirements, tenure ...

The circular tourism model must be implemented immediately for us not to exceed the ecological ceiling through the polluting practices of our current linear tourism model and to ensure tourism does not fall short on the social factors.  As the tourism has a multiplier effect, it could be a catalyst to move the whole ec ...

Global consumption of non-renewable resources is increasing and shortages of primary raw materials and reduction of space for final waste disposal are raising urgent issues for our communities.  The unsustainable use of resources is resulting in strategies for maximizing recycling rates and minimizing environmental imp ...

The platform is an interface between network partners from the public sector, science and research, and community stakeholders that shares best practices in developing sustainable communities.  It inspires and advances the deployment of technologies, competencies, and services and furthers the affordability of tools an ...

Especially in terms of resource availability, spatial planning, or economic performance, the constraints for development policies in regions can differ widely.  A model-based assessment on a regional scale enables policy decisions to consider sustainability and offers significant advantages over a mere product-level ap ...

Public participation can be an effective instrument in facilitating the building permitting process.  A collaborative permitting process must enable stakeholders to voice concerns and openly discuss the permit.  Although public participation generally lengthens the process, it provides opportunities for public comment ...