European Commission recommends new intermediate emissions reduction target of 90% for 2040

On 6 February, the European Commission published a Communication in which it recommended a new intermediate emissions reduction target for the EU of 90% for 2040, compared to 1990 levels.

The Communication opens a political debate on the choices for European citizens and governments on the way forward. This will inform the next European Commission, which will take office after the 2024 European elections.

The next Commission will make the legislative proposal to include the 2040 target in the European Climate Law and will ensure that the appropriate post-2030 policy framework is in place to deliver the 2040 target in a fair and cost-efficient manner.

Climate change already affects the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, banking and insurance sectors through reduced productivity, losses from floods, water scarcity and droughts“, reads the impact assessment.

According to the Commission, with a -90% target for 2040, the main driver for investment in construction will consist in the renovation of existing assets with the view to improve overall energy efficiency via insulation. Investment in new construction is projected to be relatively small.

Regarding employment, the Commission says that “the share of the construction sector in total employment is projected to remain broadly stable“, with a major driving force in construction employment being the need to achieve much higher renovation rates of the existing building stock over the next decade to improve energy efficiency and enable the transition to decarbonised heating systems.

 

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Call for commitments for the Construction Transition Pathway

In March 2023, the European Commission (DG GROW) issued the “Transition Pathway for Construction”, which defines the Roadmap for the construction eco-system in the light of the Green and the Digital transitions towards 2050. Among other stakeholders, FIEC participated in the elaboration of this Pathway.This Transition Pathway contains a number of actions/initiatives to be developed, at various levels (European, National, company management,…), in order to ensure its implementation. As such implementation requires the involvement of the various concerned stakeholders and therefore the European Commission (DG GROW) is inviting everyone to take a/some commitment(s) in this respect, via specific pledges concerning initiatives that are envisaged/planned or that already took place.

The concerned stakeholders can do so by filling in the short survey form at this link.

It is the intention of DG GROW to highlight a selection of the most significant pledges for new action (or updates to previously announced action) that align with the transition pathway and that have been submitted during the forthcoming 4th annual plenary meeting of the High Level Construction Forum (HLCF) that will take place on 24 April.

 

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20th ECTP anniversary : 5-6 March, Brussels

FIEC is a member of ECTP, the European Construction built environment and energy efficient Building Technology Platform.

The 10th ECTP Conference will take place on 5-6 March 2024 at the Thon Hotel Bristol Stephanie in Brussels.

The event will celebrate the 20th anniversary of ECTP, under the motto “ECTP @ 20. Two decades shaping a smart and green built environment“.

Stakeholders from innovation in the whole construction value-chain will share their experience and representatives of the European Commission will present the latest sectoral policy developments. The guest speakers will outline how the EU Construction Industry is at the heart of the green and digital transitions of the Built Environment.

All information, full event (preliminary) programme and logistics details are available on the ECTP conference website at this link.

Registration link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ectp-conference-tickets-774334002847

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INTERMAT, 24-27 April 2024 : FIEC Director General’s Verbatim

INTERMAT is the exhibition of sustainable solutions and technologies for construction. It is held every 3 years, in Paris. The 2024 edition is planned on 24-27 April. The event and exhibition is expected to host 173,300 visitors and 1400 exhibitors presenting an offer of equipment, materials and solutions for civil engineering, worksites, public works and the building industry. Discover what is new at this upcoming edition of INTERMAT via this short video-clip.FIEC is a partner of INTERMAT and its Director General, Domenico Campogrande, is part of the jury of the Innovation Awards.

INTERMAT is a great opportunity for construction companies to learn about how machineries and equipment manufacturers are integrating new technologies and new requirements into their products. Looking ahead at the next edition, FIEC expects the event to provide ideas and answers on how to implement and accelerate their compliance with the environmental, digital and overall sustainability requirements […]” said Domenico Campogrande.

Click on “Download Press Kit” (via the below tab) to read the full verbatim on the event together with other endorsement of participating organisations.

 

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FIEC participates in the high-level conference on Mental Health and Work

On 30 and 31 January, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU organised a Conference on Mental Health and Work. EU Commissioners, Member States, experts, and Social Partners discussed the issue of mental health at work and the situation in the EU. Participants discussed how to support the mental health of workers and citizens, in particular in time of crisis and in the digital age. They also recalled the importance of Social Dialogue for prevention, at EU and national level.
The European Commission announced, as mentioned in its Communication of last June, that it will soon launch a peer review of existing national legislation in the area of mental health.On the first day of the Conference, the European social partners of the construction industry, FIEC and EFBWW (European Federation of Building and Woodworkers), were invited to present the outcomes of their joint project on psychosocial risks in the construction industry during a panel discussion.

FIEC and EFBWW explained the specificities of the construction sector and presented some good practices that can be implemented on the worksites to reduce psychosocial risks.

 

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MOBICCON-PRO project: A “Circular Journey”

The transition to a circular economy is a global challenge. The EU Green Deal aims to transform industries to reduce waste generation, increase recycling and make circular products the norm in the EU. Among the sectors expected to contribute to this circular journey, construction is one of the most promising. At the same time, the sector is responsible for more than 37% of the EU’s total waste generation, making it one of the largest waste streams in Europe.The urgent need for a new way of increasing the availability of reused and recycled construction products across the EU led to the idea of the MOBICCON-PRO, one of the ongoing projects in which FIEC is taking part. Its overall objective is to demonstrate and implement an innovative mobile and territorial solution for Construction & Demolition waste management that will increase the uptake of recycled construction products in the Southeast Europe region.

Follow the MOBICCON-PRO project on LinkedIn to get an updated overview on its milestones.

 

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