India among economies driving carbon surge from construction boom
India is experiencing significant growth in its construction sector, contributing to a global increase in carbon emissions. The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction highlights that while India's building stock is expanding, the decarbonisation efforts are lagging behind. This situation poses challenges for achieving India's net-zero targets, as operational emissions continue to rise alongside construction activities.
- ▪India's construction sector grew at an annual rate of 11% between 2024 and 2025, reaching a valuation of around $210 billion.
- ▪Buildings and construction account for approximately 37% of global carbon emissions and 28% of global energy consumption.
- ▪Carbon emissions from materials like cement and steel used in buildings accounted for 9% of global emissions in 2024.
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India is among the emerging economies powering an unprecedented expansion of the world’s building stock at a moment when the sector’s decarbonisation has slowed sharply, according to the 10th edition of the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (GSRBC), released on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC).Global building floor area reached 273 billion square metres in 2024, growing 1.7% in a single year, “like adding two Delhis annually”, the report notes. While growth in Europe and China has slowed, it “remains robust in India and Southeast Asia”.
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