Principles officially embedded in COP30 Acceleration Plan

A major step forward for sustainable construction was announced at COP30 in Belém yesterday, as the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction were officially embedded in an Acceleration Plan to promote forest-positive and low-carbon building. The launch event, part of the COP30 Presidency Climate Action Agenda, featured Built by Nature’s film Our Future: Built by Nature, a panel of global leaders, and an address by Built by Nature CEO Paul King. The government of Brazil and the city of Maringá added weight to the announcement by formally endorsing the Principles, a move that underscores accelerating global momentum for timber-based climate solutions.

See Acceleration Plan Building for Forests

Launch at COP30 Climate Action Agenda event

The official launch took place during the COP30 Presidency Climate Action Agenda event “Building for Forests & People: Delivering Resilient Building Solutions”, convened by GlobalABC, SW4SW, the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), Built by Nature, and other partners. The presented Acceleration Plan, full title Building for Forests: Accelerating Wood-Based Construction for Climate, Forests and Livelihoods, promotes forest-positive and low-carbon construction, setting out a clear pathway to scale up sustainable wood-based building as a solution for climate mitigation, affordable housing, and forest conservation.

The launch event brought together government leaders, private sector innovators, and civil society representatives committed to delivering scalable and inclusive solutions for climate resilience and housing. Speakers included:

Hongpeng Liu – Mitigation Branch Director, UNEP; Head of the GlobalABC Secretariat

Antônio Costa e Silva – Ambassador and International Advisor, Ministry of Cities, Brasil

H.E. Norbert Totschnig – Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, Austria

George Tarus – Forest Conservation Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Kenya

Judy Zakreski – Co-chair of GlobalABC Adaptation Hub; Senior Vice President, Global Operations & Solutions, International Code Council

Sheam Satkuru – Executive Director, International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)

Silvio Barros – Mayor of Maringá (Brazil); Chair of the Commission on Environment and Climate Mitigation, Brazilian National Front of Mayors

Dan Ioschpe – High Level Climate Champion COP30

The program highlighted how innovative partnerships and capacity building can accelerate the transition to a nature-positive built environment. It also showcased resilient and affordable building solutions using sustainable wood, demonstrating their potential to drive ecological transition and social justice.

Watch the event recording here

The plan: objectives with global backing

The Building for Forests Acceleration Plan sets ambitious goals: engaging 30 countries in sustainable wood housing by 2028, deliver innovative finance products for smallholders and SMEs, and align timber construction with national climate and forest strategies. National governments already endorsing this approach include Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, Luxembourg, Spain, Brazil, and New Zealand.

As the buildings sector accounts for nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, substituting carbon-intensive materials with renewable, carbon-storing alternatives like responsibly sourced timber offers a triple win: reducing emissions, fostering forest restoration, and enabling resilient housing for billions who lack adequate shelter.

Paul King, CEO Built by Nature: “The Principles for Responsible Timber Construction are designed to ensure that timber construction delivers real climate benefits while protecting forests and supporting livelihoods. Seeing them embedded in this COP30 Acceleration Plan and endorsed by Brazil is a huge step forward in making responsible timber construction a global norm.”

What is a COP30 Acceleration Plan?

A COP30 Acceleration Plan is a framework designed to speed up the implementation of climate action based on commitments from past climate conferences, such as the Paris Agreement. Rather than being a single plan, it is part of a broader strategy, the COP30 Action Agenda, supported by multiple initiatives and country-specific platforms.

The core goal is to move from negotiation to action, mobilizing governments, businesses, and civil society to deliver scalable solutions. These plans focus on key areas like energy transition, forest protection, resilient cities, and sustainable housing, while connecting stakeholders and enabling them technically and financially.

By embedding the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction into an acceleration plan together with partner initiatives, sustainable wood-based construction is now recognized within the COP30 framework as a critical lever for climate mitigation, forest conservation, and affordable housing.

New endorsements by Brazil and Maringá city

In a powerful moment during the event, Brazil’s Cities Ministry confirmed that the country now officially endorses the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction. This national-level commitment was echoed by the city of Maringá, whose Mayor Silvio Barros declared the city’s endorsement, making Maringá the second city to endorse, after Amsterdam (NL).

These endorsements go beyond expectations and underscore the growing recognition that responsible timber construction is central to achieving climate goals while delivering housing and economic opportunities.