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We often take biology for granted, rarely recognizing the incredible technological feats of an organism as it grows, heals, and self-assembles—sustainably. As our ability to read, write, and design DNA grows, this power of biology is enabling amazing new biotechnologies to impact numerous industries, from everyday products brewed by designed microbes to programmable materi...
Despite the worthy intentions of government and corporate leaders, the Paris Agreement targets of holding global warming to near 1.5°C may not be met, and many organizations say they don’t have plans and data to actually reach climate goals. This session will discuss strategies needed to design a net-zero future. Presented by Deloitte
Through the scorching heat of the Arabian Desert to the unforgiving chill of the Finnish tundra, BIG partner Kai-Uwe Bergmann explores how design solutions are shaped by cultural and climatic contexts to unlock the immense possibilities of adaptive architecture. With a central challenge of mitigating climatic extremes to be hospitable to human life, solutions can be both e...
Energy savings deliver more global energy services than oil. Yet across sectors, like building, mobility, and industry, many major efficiency potentials are often overlooked. Explore the savings — and beauty — of coupling an integrative design approach with the proven order demonstrated in nature. Join biomimicry pioneer Janine Benyus and integrative design leader Amory Lo...
How we get around fundamentally shapes the way we live, work, and play. From carriages and sailing ships to steam locomotives and propeller planes, methods of moving people and goods have come a long way. Transportation design, however, is an often-overlooked touchpoint in the realm of user experience. Two pioneers in the industry discuss the top design principles for buil...
The threads that connect humans to their natural environments have frayed, and some have completely severed. In an attempt to mend those we still can, designers are forging meaningful connections with nature to make reparations. Their collaborative processes — working with nature and in teams across multiple disciplines — are optimistic, but urgent. In this session, learn...
Luckily for us, a truly sustainable world already exists. Life on Earth had been in perfect balance for 3.8 billion years, and the secrets to that sustainability are still all around us. Biomimicry is the emulation of nature’s genius in design, engineering, even business. Today, biomimics are learning to repel bacteria like a shark, gather fog like a desert beetle, and cir...
Coastal cities are utilizing innovative solutions to adapt to extreme weather and rising sea levels, becoming more resilient in the face of climate change. From innovative design and community engagement to policy development and cross-sector partnerships, panelists will share what they’ve learned and highlight opportunities for collaboration across cities.
As secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Costa Rican diplomat Christiana Figueres led the global adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. But she was not always so hopeful, and recalls a turning point as she consciously shifted her attitude from despair to stubborn optimism. Jeff Goodell, author of The Water Will Come sits down with Figueres to reve...
What is the role of design in addressing climate change and social fragmentation? Landscape architect Kate Orff of SCAPE explores how to generate new forms of ecological citizenship through participation, engagement, and stewardship. Projects such as the Venice Biennale Lagoon installation, Living Breakwaters in New York’s Harbor, Detroit’s Open Spaces, and Town Branch Par...
Your first look at the leaders, innovators, policymakers, and luminaries joining us for Aspen Ideas: Climate 2024. Don't wait to hear from these extraordinary speakers — early bird passes are on sale until December 31.
Alaina Wood, aka "The Garbage Queen" on TikTok, shares the importance of imperfect sustainability and her advice for dealing with climate doom.
As the world’s nations face the realities of climate change negotiation in Egypt this week at CoP27, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, we take a closer look at what it means to care for wild places. For some indigenous groups, just the concept of “wild” land is foreign, but many of these groups do recognize when land is out of balance. The extreme floods and fi...
Environmental activist Isaias Hernandez, founder of the education platform QueerBrownVegan, on combatting climate despair, the nuances of veganism, and what helps him sustain activism over the long-haul.
Many experts argue that massive government mobilization on the scale of World War II deployment is needed to address the catastrophe of climate change. Such is the scope of the Green New Deal, a policy calling for 100 percent renewable energy by 2030, universal health care, living wages, and jobs guarantees. But some economists argue it could cost between $51 trillion and...
How is constitutional law being harnessed to address climate change? Ahead of Aspen Ideas: Climate, we caught up with Andrea Rodgers, Senior Attorney at Our Children's Trust, whose environmental law practice is fighting on behalf of young people and future generations.
Dr. Eliza Nemser, geoscientist and executive director of Climate Changemakers, on how to recognize your own agency in the climate crisis.