Global Contractors Ponder Climate Change, Asia Rail at Industry Conference
Although construction contractors from Asia and Europe are pledging to collaborate on building infrastructure that promotes economic growth and international ties, a former United Nations secretary-general is challenging the global construction industry to go further and expand its efforts to address climate change.
Ban Ki-moon earlier this month praised attendees of the Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference in Seoul, South Korea, sponsored by the International Contractors Association of Korea, for being like “the U.N. of contractors” in representing various countries. “Without developed infrastructure, no country can fulfill the basic needs of human life,” he said. But he added that the industry contributes 40% to total global energy consumption, and transportation alone contributes 23% to greenhouse gases.