On 20 March 2025, IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber delivered a keynote address at the First International Timber Construction Symposium in Berlin. His presentation, titled Climate Plan C: Atmospheric Restoration by Natural Means (Klimaplan C: Atmosphärenreparatur mit natürlichen Mitteln), emphasized the role of timber construction in tackling the climate crisis.
In addition to his keynote, Prof. Schellnhuber took part in a panel discussion on The Forest and Timber Value Chain’s Contribution to Climate Protection (Der Beitrag der Wertschöpfungskette Wald und Holz zum Klimaschutz), during which he highlighted the importance of integrating sustainable construction methods to address the housing crisis and climate change simultaneously.
Watch the video interview with Prof. Schellnhuber below to find out more about his vision for timber construction as a core strategy in climate action and the need for supportive policies to scale these solutions globally (please note that the video is in German).
Some highlights from the event can also be viewed in the photo album published at the bottom of this page.
News
22 May 2026
IIASA Director General featured in new documentary on Pope Francis and the climate crisis
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IIASA Director General highlights concerns over slow progress in decarbonizing the buildings sector
A recent Table.Briefings article featuring comments by IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber highlights growing concerns that progress in decarbonizing the global buildings sector remains too slow to achieve international climate goals. The article discusses findings from the new UNEP and Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025/2026.
05 May 2026
Amazon understory forests show short-term boost in CO₂ uptake – but this comes at a cost
Tropical forests are one of the planet's most important carbon sinks – often also called "the lungs of the Earth". But their future in a high-CO₂ world remains uncertain. IIASA researchers contributed to a new study, which suggests even small understory trees in the Amazon may initially buffer climate change more strongly. Their long-term capacity to store carbon could, however, be restricted by nutrient availability, highlighting the vulnerability of these ecosystems under future climate conditions.