Practice

BCAC: Subcommittee Initiatives (2023-2024)

Carbon Drawdown & Biodiversity Subcommittee

Biodiversity: Advance biodiversity goals, including: creating new biodiversity metrics; developing design guidelines for achieving Biodiversity positive / 10 percent biodiversity net gain; disseminating strategies for supporting the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration; and advancing the global movement to protect at least 30 percent of terrestrial, coastal, and ocean ecosystems by 2030 (30x30). Coordinate involvement of ASLA members in IUCN expert commissions.

Sustainable Products and Projects: With the ASLA Corporate Member Committee, develop research, case studies, and education on how to shift to designing with low- and zero-emission products and use Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Identify and develop communication tools, surveys, etc, to support the decarbonization of projects and scale-up collaboration with product manufacturers.

Webinar Series: Develop content for 2024 webinar series and collaborate with Corporate Member Committee on their webinar series for product manufacturers.

Carbon Offsets and Climate Finance: Develop models and principles for leveraging sequestered carbon and offset markets as a source of revenue for landscape architecture projects and communities. Compile research on other economic benefits and return on investment of nature-based solutions.

Renewable Energy: Develop design principles and guidelines for siting, planning, and designing wind and solar systems that are integrated into communities.

Climate Agency and Community Resilience Subcommittee

Climate Equity and Justice Principles: Develop summary of climate equity and justice principles and best practices from existing publications. Interview leading experts. Develop a guide to be released on ASLA.org.

Collaborating with Indigenous People on Climate Equity and Justice: Develop a strategy and plan for ASLA member collaboration with Native Nations on climate action, equity, and justice. Identify partnership opportunities and build relationships with Native members and organizations.

Climate Leadership and Communications Subcommittee
 
Climate Action Network: Develop strategies and resources to advance knowledge sharing between ASLA Chapters to achieve the six key goals of the Climate Action Plan. Support Chapters’ efforts to organize regional knowledge sharing and build the capacity of the ASLA Climate Action Network. Organize and host quarterly Climate Action Network calls.

Best Practices: Develop best practice approaches for increasing knowledge sharing, research, and collaboration among ASLA Chapter Climate Action Committees and university faculty in landscape architecture (ASLA Climate Action Network), climate, and related science departments, and ASLA student representatives. Support academic coalitions through CELA and LAAB and help universities center climate action in their curriculum. Identify list of climate scientists to partner with for research opportunities.

ASLA Team Support: Propose story ideas and publications to expand coverage of landscape architecture in climate action conversations. Shape and contribute to ASLA climate-related communications, talking points, media, surveys; web content; and social media strategies, plans, and campaigns. Review and advise on reorganization of current ASLA.org climate action web content and planning for the new ASLA.org website.

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