Landscape and Carbon report launched

‘Landscape and Carbon’ is a vital new report on carbon reduction in the UK landscape sector by the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) and the Landscape Institute (LI). A direct response to the UK’s target to reach net zero by 2050, the report sets out the climate action the sector is taking, and how landscape can provide solutions for reducing and sequestering carbon in development. 

View the report here.

The report is a call to action for the landscape sector, and wider industry, to work together and use its combined skill and expertise to reduce carbon in landscape schemes and works. Landscape professionals can help other industries to deal with, capture and store carbon, whilst simultaneously delivering a range of integrated solutions in climate resilience, biodiversity, and public health. Now, ‘Landscape and Carbon’ sets out how the landscape sector is also taking the urgent action required to reduce the amount of carbon generated by development. 

Working together, the LI and BALI will build on work already being done by colleagues across the landscape sector to agree a carbon methodology, put standard data and practical tools in place, and help the sector to improve the level of awareness and skills needed. Inviting stakeholders from across the landscape sector, and wider industry, to engage and collaborate in a series of working groups, the report sets out eight key recommendations for future action: 

1. Agree a carbon assessment process
   Agree a carbon assessment and management process for the UK landscape sector, and refine the process as new techniques develop.
2. Use standard data and tools
   Agree a standard for the collection and assessment of data to enable the creation of a set of tools to calculate carbon outcomes.
3. Work with suppliers
   Call on manufacturers, suppliers and assessors to provide Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for all landscape products with fully specified data.
4. Support landscape practitioners
   Consider the needs of BALI and LI members, and all landscape practitioners, particularly SMEs, and support their work to deliver net zero projects.
5. Build understanding
   Work closely with other UK built environment professionals and ensure that the role and importance of the landscape sector in carbon reduction is recognised.
6. Improve education and training
   Work with HR, training and development professionals to identify all necessary educational materials and build carbon into wider CPD programmes.
7. Promote landscape solutions
   Promote the carbon storage potential of landscapes to policy makers and the wider public, and highlight the contribution which landscapes play in addressing the climate emergency.
8. Create a cross-sector action plan
   Create a sector-wide action plan to achieve net zero projects, with timescales for delivery. Assign tasks to organisations. 

BALI and the LI invite stakeholders from across the landscape sector, and wider industry, to actively participate and engage. The two organisations are setting up a steering committee to receive feedback and agree an action plan. A series of task and finish working groups are also being convened to develop the specific recommendations. 

To get involved, respondents should visit landscapeinstitute.org/policy/landscape-and-carbon. 

Wayne Grills, Chief Executive, said:

“This is an important report, highlighting the challenges ahead, but also the key role the landscaping industry needs to play in order for us to achieve our carbon net zero ambitions. The recommendations laid out provide a strong call to action for the industry to unite and work together to successfully support both our own, and other industries, in reducing carbon.” 

Robert Hughes, CEO, Landscape Institute, said:

“Landscape has a vital role to play in capturing and storing carbon, so we are immensely pleased to present the Landscape and Carbon report. It builds on years of dedication that colleagues across the sector have already put into reducing the carbon impact of development, and also marks the start of lots of important work ahead. Collaboration and openness will be vital to take these recommendations forward, and we look forward to building on the foundations the report sets out to build the partnerships required, and take collective action on carbon.”