The ASLA's LA2040 Climate + Biodiversity Action Plan seeks to empower landscape architects to achieve zero net emissions and enhance urban biodiversity by 2040.
Published on: November 24, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
Landscape architecture presents a unique intersection of opportunities in the built environment, particularly in addressing two pressing global challenges: climate change and biodiversity loss. The contributions of landscape architects extend far beyond designing aesthetically pleasing sites; they can actively sequester carbon, support biodiversity, and foster healthier, economically viable communities.
Through well-designed infrastructure, we create multimodal, low-carbon communities that encourage walking, biking, and public transport use, effectively minimizing energy consumption and waste generation. Notably, nature-based solutions implemented in our designs not only enhance resilience—by managing stormwater, cooling urban areas, and improving air quality—but also contribute to better health outcomes. These outcomes are essential as communities face the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Another pivotal aspect of landscape architecture is the potential for designed sites and infrastructure to become climate positive over time, meaning they can sequester more carbon than emitted during their construction and operational phases. This issue of BEACON will explore actionable strategies and the resources available to landscape architects aiming to make these concepts a reality.
One significant initiative in this realm is the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recent launch of the Climate + Biodiversity Action Plan, titled Landscape Architecture 2040 (LA2040). This plan aims to empower the landscape architecture community to realize ASLA's ambitious vision for 2040 through four primary focuses:
- Climate: Scaling up climate-positive practices.
- Biodiversity: Protecting, conserving, restoring, enhancing, and managing ecosystems.
- Equity: Amplifying community power and participation.
- Advocacy: Promoting climate and biodiversity actions through leadership and engagement.
Furthermore, LA2040 includes new targets mandating that all landscape architecture projects aim for:
- Zero greenhouse gas emissions, along with a doubling of carbon sequestration compared to current practices.
- Robust strategies for protecting, conserving, restoring, and enhancing biodiversity.
- Clear economic benefits through measurable ecosystem services and improved livelihoods.
- Addressing climate and biodiversity injustices by increasing investments equitably among communities.
This comprehensive plan is presented in two volumes: one tailored for ASLA members and another for ASLA and its chapters. To explore the full plan, visit here.
In a related endeavor, the MEP 2040 initiative launched its Whole Life Carbon Pilot program in February 2025, targeting the need for detailed project-specific measurements of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. The initiative utilizes the Beginner’s Guide to MEP Embodied Carbon to enhance industry practices. A total of 27 signatory firms are contributing projects to the pilot phase, and a data analysis team is compiling a report, which is expected to be released in early 2026.
On another front, the CARE Tool introduced by Architecture 2030 has gained traction among building sector professionals across North America. This innovative tool facilitates comparisons of the carbon footprints of retrofitting existing buildings versus constructing new ones. Looking ahead, CARE 2.0 will launch in early 2026, featuring new capabilities that allow users to create accounts and save projects, alongside the significant enhancement of comparing multiple scenarios side by side. This upgrade marks a crucial step towards the upcoming CARE for Portfolios, which will analyze entire building portfolios.
Stay tuned for the rollout of CARE 2.0, and feel free to contact the CARE Team with inquiries.
Recent Articles and Insights
To stay updated, consider the following articles and resources from Architecture 2030 and our broad network of experts:
How Culture and Heritage Can Be Catalysts for Climate Resilience
By Sarah Franklin and Lori Ferriss, World Economic Forum, November 2025.
The Ground Beneath Our Feet Is the Next Carbon Battleground
By Erin McDade with Meg Calkins, ARCHITECT, October 2025.
A Fake Crisis. A Real Disaster. A Quiet Solution
By Edward Mazria, ARCHITECT, August 2025.
How to Accelerate Carbon Neutrality Without Federal Support? Invest in Carbonsheds
By Chris Hardy, Common Edge, August 2025.
As American Architects Gather in Boston, Retrofits Are All the Rage
By Anthony Flint, featuring Architecture 2030 Senior Fellow Lori Ferriss, Bloomberg, June 2025.
Tools and Resources
We encourage you to explore the following tools and reports to further enhance your understanding of carbon management and landscape architecture:
The Whole Life Carbon of Commercial-to-Residential Conversions
This report from ULI details how commercial-to-residential conversions yield substantial carbon savings compared to maintaining existing commercial spaces unrenovated.
Pathfinder 3.2 Now Available!
Climate Positive Design’s Pathfinder tool helps calculate and minimize the carbon footprint of landscape architecture projects, aiding in transforming them from carbon sources into sinks.
2025 CLF North American Material Baselines Report
This fourth edition offers essential data across material categories vital for procurement and green building policy.
Embodied Carbon Pathways to 2050 for the U.S.
A call to action report urging the construction sector to meet global targets for embodied carbon reduction.
Funding and Engagement Opportunities
Engage with upcoming opportunities aimed at fostering climate-positive initiatives:
Applications Open for the Next LAF Research Grant Cycle
The Landscape Architecture Foundation invites pre-proposals for its $25,000 research grant, aimed at impactful landscape architecture projects, with applications due December 1, 2025.
Bring Built Heritage to the Heart of Climate Policy
The Heritage Now! campaign seeks collaborators focused on integrating built heritage into a framework for climate resilience.
In closing, landscape architecture holds immense potential as a driver for climate-positive actions that also foster biodiversity and community well-being. As we continue to push the boundaries of what our profession can achieve, let’s remain committed to innovative, sustainable practices that benefit both people and the planet.
