Landscape Institute to launch new free tools to reduce carbon in development projects

The new tools build on the Landscape and Carbon report, launched by the LI and British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) in March 2024. A collaborative effort by LI members and industry experts, the tools convert the recommendations made in the report into practical outputs for practitioners, supporting the drive to net zero and diminishing the impact of climate change.

The built environment sector contributes almost 25% of greenhouse gas emissions, but to date industry focus has been on decarbonising buildings. The spaces between buildings remain a blind spot, with significant barriers compromising the ability of landscape practitioners and project partners to understand and reduce the carbon impact of these spaces.
Without action, the impact of the built environment on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will continue. Landscape-led development can help reduce GHGs while also delivering a range of other benefits, without burdening developers with increased costs.
The suite of tools and resources published by the Landscape Institute will begin to address these issues and help the industry act on carbon, enhancing our environment for the benefit of people, place and nature.

Launching 30 September 2025
Landscape Carbon Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work: User-friendly resources offering stage-by-stage guidance and practical checklists to help cut emissions on every stage of a landscape project’s lifecycle.

Sign up for the webinar launch event on 30 September, with Jo Phillips CMLI and Annie Buckle Msc, MDes, Dip.Bot.

Launching 20 November 2025
A database of landscape carbon tools: A new, searchable database to help practitioners find and select the right carbon tools for their projects. Includes analysis and contact information on each tool for ease of use.

Guidance on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Product Category Rules (PCRs): A set of clear, practical resources on EPDs and PCRs, which include key facts, ‘how-to’ guides, and accreditation details to help practitioners understand and apply these in projects. Includes a database of commonly used EPD databanks to help practitioners find EPDs that meet their project needs.