New Article from WP3: Sustainable Construction Materials and Architecture

Down to Earth

18-06-2024

The ground we stand on is all we have. Throughout history, it has provided us with everything, as the foundation of civilization. In this article, we try to lay an ear to the ground, listening to the knowledge that grows from the soil that feeds us. Cultivable soil is a scarce resource, at the intersecting point of many interests. This article will focus on the underrepresented voice of our land use in architecture and planning in the Nordic context.

Nature Restoration

We find ourselves in a constantly changing landscape of politics and policy. The current state of Europe against a background of international conflicts, ongoing crisis and wars, affect our collective ability of addressing crucial questions of sustainable development and mitigation of climate change and global warming. The Nature Restoration Law is one example of a key element of a biodiversity strategy that was stopped short, when we needed it the most. Changes in land use is the main reason for loss of biodiversity and the biggest driver of climate change. Meanwhile, territorial conflicts show how much land is valued on a national level. The paradoxical relationship to land is due to how it relates to power. The loss of land is the loss of power, although we need to reassess this logic and go much deeper into the ground, beneath the surface condition of land assets.

Read the article "Down to Earth" here