A beautiful transformation begins in Laxenburg – Climate & Me

© Thomas Valka

Seeing the climate crisis

Using humor and vivid imagery, Schellnhuber addressed the climate crisis in relatable terms, drawing a comparison to the film Don’t Look Up. Unlike the sudden threat portrayed in the movie, he noted, the climate crisis unfolds gradually and is therefore easier to ignore.

To illustrate this, he shared a personal experience from a flight over Greenland. As the plane passed over the landscape, Schellnhuber looked out of the window and observed open water where solid ice had once been. He noticed that he was the only passenger doing so; the others were focused on their screens. The anecdote served as a powerful reminder of how easily profound environmental change can go unseen and of the need to pay closer attention to the world around us.

The beautiful transformation: nature as a model

Despite the urgency of climate change, Schellnhuber’s message was ultimately optimistic. He argued that solutions lie not only in technological innovation, but also in learning from natural processes that have sustained life for billions of years. Photosynthesis, which removes CO₂ from the atmosphere while producing oxygen, offers a model that can be applied more systematically.

He outlined a vision of buildings designed as carbon sinks, using timber instead of concrete and renewable materials instead of finite resources. The Laxenburg Education Campus (Bildungscampus) itself served as a tangible example: constructed largely from wood, it demonstrates how climate-conscious design can be implemented at scale.

“Laxenburg has shown what’s possible – the world needs to follow,” Schellnhuber said, capturing his message in a concise phrase: Saving the world in style.

Climate action as a cultural project

In closing, Schellnhuber emphasized that climate action extends beyond technology and data. It also involves questions of lifestyle, design, and shared responsibility. Addressing climate change successfully will require coordinated efforts across policy, business, and everyday life, bringing scientific insight together with cultural change to shape a sustainable and livable future.