The Architects Climate Action Network International unequivocally condemns the ongoing genocide in Gaza by the Israeli government.
We are horrified by the relentless systematic targeting of civilians, the widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid. These egregious acts represent a grave and escalating crime against humanity.
ACAN International stands in unwavering solidarity with all victims of violence and oppression, and reaffirm our collective commitment to justice, peace, and the protection of all human and ecological life. We condemn all forms of violence. No justification exists for the killing of civilians, regardless of race, religion, or nationality.
We acknowledge the tragic loss of civilian life on October 7th 2023 in Israel, but there is no justification for the scale and intensity of death and destruction currently being inflicted on civilian life and infrastructure in Gaza. Official UN reported casualties as of 14th May 2025 is 52,928, 70% of which are women and children, and with 119,846 reported injuries.
The tragic loss of life over an almost century-long conflict should be understood in the broader historical and legal context since British colonial rule:
- The Balfour Declaration by the UK Government in 1917;
- The Genocide and displacement of European Jews during World War II;
- The Nakba of 1948 and the decades of forced displacement of Palestinians;
- The continued occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967;
- The expansion of illegal settlements in defiance of UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, and 2334;
- The ongoing disregard for international treaties and the right of Palestinians to self-determination.
We support the international legal mechanisms currently underway: the genocide case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the arrest warrants requested by the International Criminal Court (ICC). These processes represent a crucial step towards justice and accountability for those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
As built environment professionals, we are particularly disturbed by efforts to frame the destruction of Gaza as a “real estate development opportunity” by the Israeli government, and echoing statements by the U.S. Government, led by President Trump, advocating for the permanent displacement of Palestinians.
The use of architecture as a tool of colonisation, dispossession, and apartheid is not only unethical, it is a betrayal of our core values. Architecture must never be weaponised to legitimise ethnic cleansing or occupation.
The climate crisis, like the crisis in Gaza, is rooted in systems of injustice, exploitation, and racialised violence. These struggles are interconnected. From Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Tigray region in Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, Ukraine, and beyond, innocent lives continue to be lost to war, displacement, and ecological devastation. As architects, we have a moral and professional obligation to respond.
The destruction of buildings, infrastructure, and landscapes through war releases vast carbon emissions: burning materials, polluting ecosystems, and rupturing social-environmental balances.¹
A study published by the Social Science Research Network², reported in the Guardian newspaper, found that the climate cost of Israel’s destruction of the Palestinian enclave, clearing debris, and rebuilding the territory could exceed 31 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. It is more than the annual 2023 emissions of many countries. Israel’s war on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and Syria is the equivalent of running 84 gas power plants for a year.
We condemn the rising wave of racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and xenophobia being used to justify or silence dissent. Empathy for the people of Gaza is not antisemitism. It is a defence of our shared humanity.
We call on architects and built environment professionals across the globe, and the professional institutions that represent us, to:
- Demand an immediate ceasefire and the protection of all civilians;
- Refuse to participate in any reconstruction of Gaza and the West Bank that disregards Palestinian rights, sovereignty, and leadership;
- Boycott projects and institutions complicit in illegal settlements, occupation, or forced displacement;
- Support Palestinian-led rebuilding efforts that centre justice, sustainability, and self-determination;
- Reject the instrumentalisation of design for political violence and settler-colonial agendas;
- Speak out against the violation of UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which are being openly violated.
In these times of immense suffering and moral crisis, we are reminded by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel’s words, “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
Let us commit, as built environment professionals, as human beings, to building a future grounded in justice, dignity, and peace for all.
In Solidarity.
ACAN International
² https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5274707
What Can YOU Do?
We would like to invite individuals and organisations to sign or share the statement. Please also feel free to contact press or industry organisations as you see fit.
