MUSCAT, DEC 11 - Amid the outcry for a greener society, experts have urged workplace to turn green and produce less Co2 emissions to safeguard our environment. Worldwide, 39 per cent of the emissions causing climate change are produced by buildings, 28 per cent from operational carbon emissions such as lighting, heating and cooling, and 11 per cent from embodied carbon which is the carbons that come in materials, according to experts who attended the Green Workplace Summit held under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Mohammed bin Salim al Said on Wednesday.
“Office and factory buildings are producing the largest amount of carbon that is harmful to the environment. 39 per cent of the emissions causing climate change are caused by buildings while 28 per cent of that comes from operational carbon emissions such as lighting, heating and cooling, and 11 per cent from embodied carbon,” said Mohammad Asfour (pictured), Head, MENA and Africa Regional Networks, World Green Building Council.
Developing a green and circular economy that is responsive to national needs and consistent with the global direction of adapting to climate change is a strategic objective of the Sultanate’s Vision 2040 programme.
The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) is a global network leading the transformation of the built environment to make it healthier and more sustainable.
Collectively, with the Green Building Councils (GBCs) in around 70 countries, the Council accelerates action to deliver on the ambition of the Paris Agreement, by eliminating the buildings and construction sector’s emissions by 2050.
“In this context, organisations must take responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adopting sustainable operating practices and they include setting emission reduction targets, implementing energy and water efficiency programmes, overseeing recycling efforts and green building management programmes.”
The Green Workplace Summit focused on developing a healthy, energy-efficient and sustainable built environment for all and featured interactive discussions on policies and solutions, that organisations can adopt to meet their commitment to fostering a sustainable environment. It also provided an opportunity to share success stories and explore ways in which people can collectively respond to challenges.
The Summit brought together municipal authorities, environment pioneers, sustainability leaders, waste management experts and solution providers to discuss various strategies that encourage implementation of eco-friendly practices.
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