Learn more about the Work Programme and the COP30 Action Agenda. Read here.

Built Environment: A month in review

This month we’re changing gears slightly to offer you a retrospective glance at three significant events in which our Built Environment team participated. Built Environment: A month in review

Friday, 7 July 2023 | By Climate Champions

Share This Page:

In a landmark month that celebrated the commitment of 20% of major actors in the Built Environment sector to the Race to Zero, our dedicated team has been working hard around the globe, leading conversations, panel discussions, and keynote speeches.

Net Zero International Conference: A focus on Egypt’s green future

The Net Zero International Conference took place from 26-28 May in Cairo, Egypt. UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, H.E. Razan Al Mubarak delivered a pre-recorded keynote speech and Climate Champions’ Global Ambassador, Sarah El Battouty participated in a panel discussion, “Initiatives to Pave the Way Towards Net Zero”.

El Battouty, founder of ECOnsult (a Race to Zero signatory through SME Climate Hub), shared her company’s journey towards net zero, presenting a fascinating case study on the “First Green Community in Egypt.” Watch her insightful panel discussion below:

World Circular Economy Forum and GlobalABC General Assembly: Building Breakthrough

Between 30 May – 2 June, the World Circular Economy Forum and GlobalABC General Assembly took place in Helsinki, Finland, and virtually. Built Environment Lead, Will Wild, participated in a Building Breakthrough panel discussion.

The dialogue emphasized deep collaboration, addressed current gaps and barriers to country engagement, and explored the Breakthrough Agenda report’s initial recommendations. The team also deliberated the role of Governments and initiatives in advancing targets.

EmiratesGBC Annual Congress: Illuminating the Pathway to COP28

Finally, on 8 June, Alida Saleh, Senior Advisor to the Climate Champions’ Built Environment team, participated in a fireside chat at the EmiratesGBC Annual Congress in Dubai, UAE. The conversation, titled “Pathway to COP28,” was a highlight of the event. Saleh and Habiba Al Marashi, Co-Founder and Treasurer of EmiratesGBC, discussed the pathway to net zero, addressing the challenges and opportunities non-state actors face throughout the journey and necessary next steps. Watch the full
conversation below:

Related Reading

Race to Resilience in action: The unlikely link between goat milk, elephants, and women’s leadership in Africa

Race to Resilience in action: The unlikely link between goat milk, elephants, and women’s leadership in Africa

28 August 2025

News Inclusion Human Settlements Nature: Land Use, Food, Agriculture Race to Resilience
Derek's story: Protecting the last wild edges of Australia’s ocean frontier

Derek's story: Protecting the last wild edges of Australia’s ocean frontier

14 August 2025

Storytelling Enviroment Nature Inclusion Breakthroughs Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda Nature: Ocean & Coastal Zones Ocean Breakthroughs Nature Positive for Climate Action Resilience Race to Zero Race to Resilience
Seven examples of Indigenous-led climate action, from Brazil to the Arctic

Seven examples of Indigenous-led climate action, from Brazil to the Arctic

09 August 2025

Storytelling Adaptation Enviroment Gender Inclusion Indigenous Peoples Women Nature Human Settlements Inclusion Nature: Land Use, Food, Agriculture Nature: Ocean & Coastal Zones Resilience
Haji’s story: Using tourism to preserve the Cocos Islands’ culture and environment

Haji’s story: Using tourism to preserve the Cocos Islands’ culture and environment

29 July 2025

Storytelling Enviroment Adaptation Inclusion Indigenous Peoples Nature Interview Breakthroughs Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda Nature: Ocean & Coastal Zones Nature Positive for Climate Action Ocean Breakthroughs Race to Zero Race to Resilience