Governments endorse Principles for Responsible Timber Construction at COP30

Belém, Brazil – At COP30, twelve governments joined over 300 companies and civil society groups in endorsing the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction, a science-based framework to guide the responsible use of timber from forest to building. This endorsement marks a significant step in aligning global efforts to transform the global construction industry in ways that benefit climate, nature and people.  

We are proud to announce that Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have endorsed one common approach to scaling timber construction responsibly. Italy and Finland have acknowledge the Principles, possibly ahead of their endorsement.

These endorsements were announced over two days. The first eleven governments made their endorsement official on Monday 10 November at COP30, in the Buildings and Cooling Pavilion, in a high-level event hosted by Built by Nature, the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership, and Bauhaus Earth. One further endorsement and two acknowledgements followed on Tuesday, during a meeting of the Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate (ICBC).

On Monday, the high-level Principles showcase included contributions from Emmanuel Kamarianakis, Ambassador of Canada to Brazil, Jorge Mario Rodríguez Zúñiga, Vice Minister of Environment, Costa Rica, Ruth Davis, UK Special Representative for Nature, Yves-Laurent SAPOVAL, Chair of the ICBC, France, and Oliver Wolf, Senior Policy Advisor, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland.

Vice Minister Carlos Isaac Pérez, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica, stated:

“Costa Rica not only adheres to these Principles but also actively promotes them internationally, encouraging adoption by other producer countries committed to transparency, traceability and deforestation-free wood products.”  

Welcoming the launch and representing Canada’s co-leadership of the FCLP Greening Construction with Sustainable Wood initiative, Emmanuel Kamarianakis, Ambassador of Canada to Brazil, said:

“This best practice approach can transform the market for responsible timber construction, providing a win-win for the climate and global goals to halt deforestation. These Principles and the guidance that accompanies them are a testament to the tremendous collaboration between stakeholders across all sectors with a determination to turn an aspiration into a reality. Together, the five principles provide a common language and approach that can be used to inform the development of public policy, regulation and industry practices.”  

There were additional contributions from Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Global Leader of Climate & Energy at WWF and interim chair of the IUCN Climate Crisis Commission, and Mirey Atallah, Chief of the Adaptation and Resilience Branch, Climate Change Division, UNEP.

Our Built by Nature 2025 Prize winners Susan Jones, Andrew Waugh, Kim Baber and Frédéric DENISE presented their inspiring projects to show what is possible and what progress is already being made.

This is a big step for a wide coalition of experts, governments and industry leaders to recognise the Principles as an actionable framework to accelerate timber construction that meets climate targets and protects forests, biodiversity and communities.

Paul King, CEO of not-for-profit Built by Nature stated:

“These Principles were developed to build trust and confidence across the value chain—but we know they’re already being applied. This year’s Built by Nature Prize attracted nearly 400 entries from almost 40 countries, showcasing completed timber buildings that bring the Principles to life. That global response proves they’re not just aspirational—they’re achievable. All five Principles are ambitious yet realistic. To drive the transition we need in the built environment, we must apply them everywhere, all the time.” 

By 2050, global demand for new buildings is set to double, especially in the Global South. Construction already contributes nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with materials like concrete and steel responsible for a quarter of that.

Sustainably sourced timber offers a powerful solution. It can replace carbon-intensive materials, store carbon for decades, and support forest-based economies.

From Brazil to the world, responsible timber construction is gaining momentum. Our goal at COP30 is to unite partners around a shared vision for a regenerative built environment.