News

Landscape Institute Response to EU Climate Change Adaptation Green Paper

6th December 2007

The Landscape Institute today (Dec 6) welcomed the European Union’s commitment to tackling climate change but warned that adaptation strategies needed to be afforded a higher priority to combat the crisis.

Responding to the European Commission’s Green Paper on Climate Change Adaptation, Chair of the Landscape Institute Policy Committee Jon Lovell said a key objective of the EU should be to ensure action within a limited time frame and welcomed the proposed establishment of a European Advisory Group on Adaptation to Climate Change.

Lovell said: “Climate change adaptation and mitigation is one of the greatest challenges of our generation. The Landscape Institute is encouraged by the European Union’s commitment to dealing with climate change. However, urgent action is needed and it is needed now.

“The establishment of a European Advisory Group on Adaptation to Climate Change – linked to the existing European Climate Change Programme – should provide a body whose sole function would be to direct EU sources of funding for research in the right direction and ensure that governments and private sector spending becomes more focussed on the key issues.”

The Green Paper was produced by the European Commission’s Environment Directorate-General whose main role is to initiate and define new environmental legislation.

Lovell called for particular attention on protecting and expanding existing networks of green infrastructure, particularly in urban areas where the impacts of climate change on people and property are likely to be most pronounced.

Lovell said: “While it is clearly important for the EU to gather information on the pattern and extent of climate change, it is also important for the EU to direct resources to combating climate change with the techniques we know work already.

“The holistic approach of landscape architecture to place-shaping means that landscape architects know how best to adapt our towns, cities and countryside to the changing climate. Moreover, in terms of mitigation, a recent survey of Landscape Institute members showed that 73 percent of landscape architects have successfully influenced clients to consider climate change issues.

“Given the importance of our profession, we believe it is vital that landscape architects are represented on the European Advisory Group on Adaptation to Climate Change.”