Cities are at the forefront of climate action in the built environment. As global efforts to decarbonize buildings accelerate, the ability to measure, compare and strengthen whole life carbon (WLC) processes at the city level is becoming a critical enabler of meaningful progress.
While WLC approaches are gaining traction worldwide, their implementation remains uneven – creating fragmentation, uncertainty for industry, and missed opportunities to scale impact.
Developed by Arup in collaboration with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), this report introduces a criteria‑based assessment framework that enables consistent comparison of how cities are implementing whole life carbon policies in practice.
Applying the framework to six global cities — Bogotá, Cape Town, London, New York, Paris and Shanghai — the report highlights leading practices, persistent gaps, and where targeted, city‑level action can accelerate progress.
The report is designed as a practical resource for city leaders and practitioners, businesses, investors and policymakers seeking a clear, comparable way to assess WLC implementation, support informed dialogue, and accelerate the uptake of low‑carbon solutions aligned with net-zero pathways.
