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LI heeds Stern warning
Unabated climate change could cost the world 20 per cent of its GDP each year, according to the ‘Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate Change’, published last month.
However, it claims that there is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and limit the cost to around 1 per cent of global GDP each year – if international action is taken now.
LI president Nigel Thorne said: “The Stern Report emphasises the fact that concerted global action is required against climate change. That means we all have a part to play, particularly organisations such as the Institute, whose members have a holistic approach to environmental, technological, social and economic development. Every intervention, project and scheme that members get involved in should consider climate change impacts and carbon emissions.
“I welcome the Report’s recommendation that mitigation must be seen as an investment, with a great sense of urgency attached to developing low-carbon and high-efficiency technologies. This notion of investment should also cover adaptations. We need a policy framework that prioritises investment in low-carbon infrastructure measures and public goods such as increased pedestrianisation and public transport, land-use planning, performance standards, natural resource protection, curbing deforestation and coastal protection. We will be making sure that the Government understands the essential contributions that landscape architects can make in the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
Meanwhile, the Landscape Institute Council has identified climate change as the key policy focus for its work next year. This emerged in a new Development Plan for the next five years, adopted at the meeting on 30 October, which brings new focus to the Institute’s efforts in promoting high standards within the profession and increasing the influence of landscape architects in public life.
“We have spent many months reviewing the Institute’s current position and recent successes, and debating and scoping the Institute’s direction for the next five years,” said Thorne.
The Plan identified five strategic objectives with specific priorities for 2007/8. “Among the most important that came through loud and clear from members are the need for increased technical and professional guidance, more policy work to make it clear where the Institute stands on the major issues of the day, and CPD, CPD, CPD,” said Thorne.
“In addition, we will be redoubling efforts to get more people into the profession. There is a critical shortage of landscape architects and recruitment by employers is not getting any easier at a time when there is an abundance of work.”
The Institute has committed to a series of events on climate change next year.
“The Plan does not take the Institute off in a radically different direction to that of previous years,” said director general Marion Bowman. “Members can see that there has been a lot of growth and change with the Institute’s profile being much more prominent. The profession is increasingly a significant influence in the public agenda and Council has now given us a mandate for the key priorities we need to focus on as an organisation to build on the solid work that’s been achieved already.” Discuss this article
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