What's construction industry doing at climate fete?

Construction works along the Nzoia irrigation scheme. [Nathan Ochunge, Standard] My first time in Nairobi was as a 10-year-old from Nandi County, to perform a solo item during Kenya Music Festivals at the KICC, where focus shifts soon, as Africa Climate Week (ACW) and Africa Climate Summit (ACS) begin. Nairobi was not as beautiful as it is today. Give it to the construction industry for responding to parts of the Sustainable Development Goals 9, and 11, as the city now boasts modern infrastructure. Yet some fault the Principles for Resilient Infrastructure, which, according to the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction office, "describe a set of principles, key actions, and guidelines to create national scale net resilience gain and improve continuity of critical services such as energy, transport, water, wastewater, waste, and digital communications, which enable health, education... to function effectively." The construction industry is one to focus on during the ACW and ACS, since it has done so much in offering solutions to the climate crisis as well. Since the safety of trees and other vegetation, quality of ground water, air and land are things the industry daily grapples with, it is its prerogative to invest heavily in research and innovation. Many new buildings in Africa are not only mixed-use, but have applied the same principle when it comes to power, utilising solar energy with that from their respective national grids. The industry is already a good agent of just transition to renewable energy, as it employs many in constructions while it uses eco-friendly materials. This should be encouraged by African governments through incentives to encourage uptake. Just transition remains a key focus for Africa, the United Nations, especially at the Conferences of Parties like COP28 scheduled for Dubai. Now that Africa is bedeviled with floods, drought and storms that have destroyed infrastructure, crops and killed people and animals, threatening more industries, including tourism, building houses that can withstand earthquakes, floods, and be ventilated enough to prevent diseases or deaths from heat waves is a must. Besides, the industry must adopt a circular economy to reduce wastage, and minimise pollution. Though the construction industry engineers economic growth, infrastructure development and job creation, it is also a major contributor to carbon emissions and environmental degradation. However, trends show transforming the construction industry in Africa to be more sustainable is not only possible, but will address the climate crisis. Focus will therefore be on the industry as it showcases its contribution to the achievement of SDGs at the Climate Action Zone this Sunday, before the ACS begins. It would be nice to know if players collaborate enough to champion policy advocacy around climate action, and what is needed to accelerate green growth and climate finance for African buildings, cities and infrastructure. Collaboration between the construction industry, research institutions such as universities and the Alliance for Science, governments and other players will boost knowledge finding and sharing, funding, policy development and law enforcement to boost transition to greener and more sustainable habitats. It is only fair that polluters pay for contributing to the climate crisis. Since everyone has a role in the mess our cities are in, however little, no one should be left behind. This does not stop us from asking for reparation from the global North that worsened the climate crisis through fossil fuels-powered industrialisation. It does not stop us from demanding commitment to paying for Loss and Damage. This is us dealing with the remaining four fingers pointing back at us... asking for increased locally-led climate action. -The writer is a climate justice advocate. @lynno16

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