Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet: Electrification of construction equipment

On the margins of the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) with the theme ‘Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet’, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), and C40 Cities will co-host a webinar to highlight their new strategic global partnership to drive mitigation in the non-road sector mobile machinery and engines sector.

Electrification of construction equipment is an emerging sustainable solution for cities and national governments working to support a resilient planet. By 2050, 2.5 billion more people will live in cities, and at the same time, 60% of buildings they will occupy are not yet built. This means the world is building a city the size of Paris every week until 2050 – and here lies the opportunity to change course and dramatically reduce emissions from this sector.

The non-road sector—comprised mostly of construction and agricultural machinery—emits over 1 billion tonnes of CO₂, 3 million tonnes of methane (CH₄), and 250,000 tonnes of black carbon (BC) annually, exceeding the climate footprint of the global maritime sector. In major markets, non-road equipment drives 50–70% of particulate matter (PM) and about 30% of nitrogen oxide (NO_x) from mobile sources—key drivers of poor air quality and ozone formation. Construction machinery alone contributes around 40% of those emissions, making it one of the largest and most immediate opportunities for action.

This webinar is the first in a series that will explain the importance of taking action, showcase private sector leadership, and look specifically at different regions and markets to understand the challenges and opportunities for policy makers.

SPEAKERS

• Martina Otto, Climate and Clean Air Coalition Secretariat
• Robin Kollenveld, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands
• Philip Mortensen, City of Oslo
• Hui He, ICCT
• Andre Aasrud, C40 Cities
• Sean Cooke, UNEP (Moderator)