Bauhaus Earth and Pontifical Academy of Sciences conference June 2022 The built environment is
a critical factor in the climate equation. Approximately 40 percent of global emissions derive
from the construction operation and demolition of human settlements. The 21st century must be
the century of re-entanglement where quintessential functions (housing work culture
recreation etc.) are reintegrated within urban spaces where socioeconomic and ecological
systems form a mutually supportive network of networks and where past present and future are
perceived as interwoven waves in the river of time. Fortunately opportunities exist to
transform the built environment from a carbon source to a carbon sink through e.g. timber
construction high-rise buildings circular bioeconomy methods AI-assisted design smart
recycling technology multifunctional land use integrated regional resource management and
community-based urban development to name just a few. This volume compiles the papers
presented by world-renowned scientists architects spatial planners activists and policy
makers at the Reconstructing the Future for People and Planet conference held at the Vatican
in June 2022. First publication of the Bauhaus Earth think tank Ideas to transform the
anthropocene Contributions by Hans Joachim Schellnhuber Ursula von der Leyen Edgar Pieterse
Francesca Bria Xu Tiantian Shigeru Ban Sheela Patel Ana María Durán Calisto and many
others We look forward to the re-entanglement of our cities with the ingenuity of nature's
systems and to forging closer alliances across Built by Nature Bauhaus Earth and all our
partners in this endeavor. Donald Brenninkmeijer Chair Built by Nature Chair Laudes
Foundation Investment Committee Leslie Johnston CEO Laudes Foundation James Drinkwater Head
of Built Environment Laudes Foundation
