Mapping Europe’s Whole Life Carbon Policy Landscape (BPIE 2024)
A growing number of European countries are implementing policies to manage the Whole Life Carbon (WLC) of buildings, though approaches vary significantly across the continent. The map in Figure 4 illustrates a group of frontrunner nations, primarily in Western and Northern Europe, that have already implemented binding WLC limit values, such as France, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Following their lead, countries like Sweden and Norway have enforced mandatory disclosure requirements as an initial step. Meanwhile, a new wave of legislation is being proposed or prepared in several other nations, including the report’s focus countries of Ireland and Spain, signaling a clear and expanding trend toward regulating the full lifecycle emissions of buildings across Europe. This shows a decisive shift from voluntary measures toward binding regulations that address the entire carbon footprint of buildings, from construction to demolition.
EU WLC Regulations Status Map
European Union
Refer to the legend on the map for color meanings. Hover over a country for more details or click to pin its information here.
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