17.08.2023
Our economies, livelihoods, and well-being all depend on our most precious asset: Nature
These were the opening lines of Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta’s report “The Economics of Biodiversity” and were also at the center of the conversation our CEO, Mette Skjold, had with Dasgupta at the UIA World Congress of Architects CPH 2023.
They agreed that we, as humans, depend on nature – not only as a source of resources and wealth but also as the foundation for our physical and mental well-being. We are not separate from nature. We are nature.
Skjold and Dasgupta discussed the problems of our current division of nature and culture and the many possibilities of including nature in the design of our cities, the economy, and our lives in general.
Stressing the fact that today’s unsustainable engagement with nature is endangering the lives of current and future generations both argued that we need to change how we interact with nature. Mette Skjold described the many amenity and utility values to be won by including nature and nature’s processes in urban planning since nature often holds the key to solving many of today’s practical urban problems, such as rainwater surges, heat islands, and air/water pollution. This point was supported by Dasgupta with reference to his work of inscribing the actual value of biodiversity in traditional economic models and thinking.
Skjold and Dasgupta also drew attention to nature’s importance for our well-being, sense of community, and belonging, and consequently, agreed on how being close to nature is the foundation for achieving an understanding of our collective embeddedness in nature. Lush city-nature is essential in changing our connection to nature and subsequently, the possibility of changing our future for the better.
The talk took place on the 6th of July 2023, and was moderated by master of ceremonies, Connie Hedegaard. Press play on the video below to experience the full keynote dialogue.
Video credits: Sehen & UIA World Congress of Architects CPH 2023.
Perspectives
Why Darkness Matters: Acknowledging the Rhythms of Nature
When did you last see a starry night sky? For city-dwellers, this experience may feel like a distant memory. Our extensive use of artificial light has turned ‘darkness’ into a diminishing phenomenon – not only affecting stargazers but also the health of humans, wildlife, and trees. As Pernille Bech-Larsen, lighting designer at SLA, will unfold, we have plenty of good reasons to let a little more darkness into our cities.
The Values of Nature:
A Need for a New Driver of Urban Development
Imagine your quality of life being just as dependent on urban development as on social media. What would that lead to? The answer to that question depends on the drivers of urban development.
Rasmus Astrup: 'City Nature' - The 2022 Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Lecture
In spring 2022, SLA partner and design principal Rasmus Astrup was invited to give the annual Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Lecture by the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in Vancouver.
