LI contributes to government thinking on climate change

  • 1 Apr 2010 |

The House of Commons Environment Audit Committee has published its report following advice from the LI.

Climate change

Its report ‘Adapting to Climate Change’ takes up many of the points submitted in evidence by the Landscape Institute. Among the report's recommendations are:

  • Government must make adaptation and mitigation more central to the planning system.
  • New developments should only be permitted if they are suited to future climates, and support the overall resilience of the built environment.
  • The government must set out the strategic role green infrastructure should play in climate change adaptation.
  • The government should also promote green infrastructure as part of the National Adaptation Programme.
  • Government departments must deliver green infrastructure that supports adaptation and wider policy objectives by working more effectively across departmental boundaries.
  • The government aligns the work of key departments on green infrastructure, and identifies a department to act as a green infrastructure champion.

DEFRA is expected to respond to the recommendations in due course. Some of the recommendations have already started to find their way into public policy (e.g. the Planning Policy Statement on a natural and healthy environment).

“The Landscape Institute has been working to demonstrate the key role of landscape architects in enhancing our green infrastructure, and I am delighted that  our work has had such a positive impact,” said LI President Neil Williamson. “Our Green Infrastucture Position Statement was cited by another organisation in its evidence to the committee, so I believe we have made a persuasive case and the response is very encouraging. We will continue to advocate the importance of green infrastructure to our country, and the critical role of landscape architects in delivering it.”

The full ‘Adapting to Climate Change’ report by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee can be found here.

The evidence submitted can by the Landscape Institute can be found by clicking here.

The Landscape Institute would like to thank Annie Coombs FLI and Merrick Denton-Thompson CMLI for their assistance in contributing to the evidence submitted to the Environmental Audit Committee.

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