In late November, IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber visited Argentina to take part in a high-level event on urban sustainability. The visit included participation in a two-day event on climate, cities, and sustainable construction, held at the German Embassy in Buenos Aires and the University of Buenos Aires, bringing together scientific, political, and municipal actors to discuss the transformation of the construction sector and its role in climate action.
The first day of discussions, hosted at the German Embassy under the theme, Climate and sustainable construction, explored how climate change is affecting cities and how innovation, science, and new construction approaches can support sustainable urban development. Schellnhuber delivered the keynote titled, Bauhaus of the Earth: The role of the construction sector in climate change, and then joined a panel with Manuel Otero, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Inés Camillioni (University of Buenos Aires), Annette Hafner (Ruhr University Bochum), and Ricardo Bertolino (Argentine Network of Municipalities for Climate Change). The panel discussed climate impacts on cities, the role of the construction sector in sustainability, and opportunities for economic development.
The second day, held at the University of Buenos Aires, focused on, The transition in the construction sector: Timber construction. Experts presented the state of wood construction in Germany and Argentina, followed by a panel examining how timber construction can contribute to climate protection, the policy frameworks needed to support it, and the opportunities and challenges for the forestry and wood industries. Schellnhuber participated in this panel alongside Annette Hafner (Ruhr University Bochum), Elizabeth Vergara (University of Buenos Aires), and María Elena Araneo (FONPLATA).
While in Argentina, Schellnhuber also participated in media interviews with local press, discussing how sustainable and timber-based construction could help the country respond to the climate crisis. In one of these interviews, he stated:
“There are no limits to building with wood – one can build single-family homes or multi-storey public and office buildings. If wood comes from sustainably managed forests, there is enough for housing construction for everyone on the planet.”
The broader event also engaged municipal leaders, including Merlo Mayor Leonardo Rodríguez and the municipality’s Secretary for Environment, Francisco Leiva, who emphasized the need for ecological building materials, reforestation, emission reduction, and stronger local government capacities for climate action. These issues are central to advancing sustainable development across Argentina’s cities.
Reflecting on the importance of such international exchanges, Schellnhuber remarked: “Only through global cooperation across cities, governments, scientists, and civil society, can we reshape our built environment toward sustainability. The climate challenge knows no borders, and our response must be collective.”
Schellnhuber’s participation – both on stage and through his engagement with the media – strengthened scientific–policy dialogue in Argentina and highlighted IIASA’s commitment to supporting evidence-based pathways toward climate-resilient urban development worldwide.
News
11 June 2025
Supporting the development of greenhouse gas emissions and removals projections in Latin America and beyond
IIASA researchers collaborated with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to develop a new practical guide focused on enhancing the technical robustness and transparency of climate reporting through the development of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals projections. The guide will strengthen national capacities for estimating projections necessary to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement in Latin America and other regions of the world.