Building Back Greener: Accelerating Low-Carbon Material Adoption in the UK Building Industry

The escalating global climate crisis presents a critical challenge for governments, policymakers, civic society organizations, and marketers alike (Carvalho, 2022; Gopaldas, 2015). Experts predict that by the end of the century, global average temperatures could rise between 1–1.5°C with significant reductions in carbon emissions, or as high as 4.5–5°C if current emission levels persist (González, 2025). Such temperature increases would lead to rising sea levels, posing severe risks to islands, coastal communities, and marine ecosystems (González, 2025). Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has taken proactive measures to engage diverse stakeholders. Through its annual Conference of the Parties (COP) summits, the UNFCCC seeks to drive coordinated global climate action, aligning with Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, 2015).