EN-ID Blog
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity, and its impacts are being felt across the globe. However, despite housing being a necessity, this sector often receives insufficient attention on the global climate agenda.
Habitat for Humanity, an organization focused on access to adequate housing, seeks to elevate this important issue through policy recommendations made at COP29. Adequate housing is not just about shelter; it is also a key to building resilience against climate change, especially for the most vulnerable communities.
Housing in the Context of Climate Change
Across the world, over 1.1 billion people live in informal settlements highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as flooding, extreme heat, and rising sea levels. While they contribute little to global carbon emissions, they are among the most affected by climate disasters.
Habitat for Humanity emphasizes that adequate housing solutions must be an integral part of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. In its recommendations, Habitat for Humanity stresses the importance of integrating housing into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Integrating housing into climate strategies will allow countries to reduce carbon footprints, lower energy costs, and provide better protection for the most vulnerable communities. This is crucial to ensure that mitigation efforts do not only focus on the energy sector but also on the infrastructure that supports people’s daily lives.
Adaptation for the Most Vulnerable Communities
One of Habitat for Humanity’s main priorities is the urgent need for more funding for climate adaptation, particularly for the most vulnerable communities. These communities, especially those living in informal settlements, often lack access to adequate infrastructure and face greater climate risks. Habitat for Humanity calls on governments and international agencies to prioritize funding for adaptation actions that improve housing and infrastructure in areas most at risk from climate change.
This adaptation funding must be used to support the construction of climate-resilient housing that can withstand impacts like flooding, droughts, and extreme heat. Additionally, strengthening community capacity to cope with climate change in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way is also a key part of this recommendation. Solutions that involve using eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient designs can help build homes that are more resilient to climate change while reducing their environmental impact.
Green, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing
While climate change mitigation efforts are critical, Habitat for Humanity highlights the potential of housing to provide solutions that not only reduce carbon footprints but also address the global challenge of housing affordability. One of the main problems the world faces is the growing deficit of adequate and affordable housing, especially in many rapidly developing cities. Therefore, Habitat for Humanity stresses the importance of ensuring that climate mitigation efforts in the housing sector do not drive-up housing costs for low-income communities.
Affordable green housing solutions must be prioritized in global policies. Habitat for Humanity urges countries to invest in the renovation and retrofitting of existing housing to make them more climate-friendly, using low-carbon materials, and supporting energy-efficient designs. These efforts will help lower living costs and make homes more affordable for low-income families, particularly in rapidly growing cities.
The construction sector must also adopt circular economic principles, where building materials can be recycled and reused to reduce waste and carbon emissions. This approach needs to be integrated into global housing policies to support the transition to a more sustainable future.
Linking the Housing Sector with Global Climate Goals
Habitat for Humanity emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the housing, urban development, environmental, and financial sectors to create holistic solutions. By integrating these sectors, countries can create more sustainable and climate-resilient housing while meeting the urgent need for affordable housing.
Creating policies that strengthen community involvement, particularly for those living in informal settlements, is another critical step. Habitat for Humanity encourages ensuring that the voices of residents are part of the planning and decision-making processes regarding housing and climate adaptation, ensuring that policies truly meet the needs of those most affected.
Habitat for Humanity calls on the world to view housing not just as a basic need but as a critical solution for building resilience to climate change. In the face of increasing climate challenges, adequate, green, and affordable housing is key to creating a more just and sustainable future for all.
With the integration of housing into global climate policy, greater funding for adaptation, and a focus on affordable and climate-friendly housing, we can ensure that the most vulnerable populations can adapt and thrive in a changing world. Habitat for Humanity is committed to driving this change, and COP29 represents a pivotal moment to make it happen.
(kv/av)
