An inquiry opened this week in Westminster that should be revolutionary. It is to decide, in a nutshell, whether the 50% of global carbon emissions embodied in the world’s built environment should be a factor in fighting the climate crisis. If we are all to account for the impact on global temperature rises of our eating, heating and travelling, why not our building?
The inquiry is centred on a decision by M&S to demolish and rebuild its flagship art deco store in London’s Oxford Street, a structure that for some reason was overlooked for listing as historic. We are told that the “embodied” carbon that would be released by the redevelopment is 40,000 tonnes, reportedly the same as would be emitted by a petrol-driven car journeying from the Earth to the Sun. Goodness knows the distance for the forest of slabs and towers now rising out of control on London’s skyline.
