RICS and Partners Launch CLEAR for Whole Life Carbon Reporting

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is launching the Coalition for Life Cycle Emissions Alignment and Reporting (CLEAR).

CLEAR is a global initiative designed to harmonise the measurement and reporting of whole-life carbon emissions across the global built environment. It will be launched at the Sustainable Buildings and Construction Summit on 20-22 April 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

CLEAR has been established to create a more consistent and trusted approach to whole-life carbon assessment, improve confidence in carbon data and support faster progress towards decarbonisation targets.

Human-generated greenhouse gas emissions remain a major driver of environmental, social and economic challenges, including rising global temperatures and biodiversity loss. The built environment is responsible for a significant share of those emissions, spanning both embodied and operational carbon.

Yet despite growing recognition of the need for whole-life carbon measurement, fragmented and inconsistent methodologies continue to make it difficult for industry and policymakers to compare results, benchmark performance and make informed decisions.

Whole Life Carbon Reporting

CLEAR aims to address that challenge by aligning how whole-life carbon emissions from buildings and infrastructure are measured and reported across different markets and jurisdictions.

The initiative will analyse existing approaches, identify points of difference and develop a globally relevant framework for assessment and reporting. It will also support the sector through practical tools, technical resources and an online platform designed to build capability and encourage adoption.

RICS is a founder of the coalition and will play a leading role in delivering the initiative alongside the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Global Building Data Initiative (GBDI), as well as sponsor Autodesk.

CLEAR is intended to bring together organisations from across the value chain, including standard setters, industry coalitions, developers and owners, manufacturers, software providers, investors and specialists in carbon measurement and reporting.

In its first year, CLEAR will focus on coalition building, analysing existing whole-life carbon assessment methodologies and developing resources. The long-term ambition is to support a harmonised global framework that enables more effective reporting, stronger benchmarking and more confident carbon-related decision-making across the built environment.

“The choices we make now will impact generations to come. The CLEAR initiative is a timely measure that will create shared trust, inspire confidence in carbon reporting, and empower the sector to shape a resilient, low‑carbon future,” said Nick Maclean, RICS President.

Find out more about CLEAR.

>> Read more about RICS in the news