IFLA Declaration on Ecological and Community Health

Delegates to the 2020 International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) World Council meeting endorsed a declaration strengthening the global focus of the landscape architectural profession on health and the positive actions they can take in support of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all ages.  

“Landscape architects have made great strides in advocating through policy and practice for sustainable development in recognition of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals”, said IFLA President, James Hayter.

“By committing to positive action in support of SDG 3, the landscape architectural profession seeks to increase awareness of the relationship between natural and cultural aspects of design that enhance and sustain healthy ecosystems and communities, recognizing their inter-dependence”.

The declaration challenges all landscape architects to strengthen their contribution towards healthy and inclusive environments, and to the wellbeing of citizens. In addition, IFLA and its Member Associations commit to:

• Recognise that health and wellbeing are intrinsically linked to ecological health.

• Recognise the link between the natural and cultural aspects of design for healthy ecologies and communities, their inter-dependence and enhancement of each other.

• Partner with academic, corporate and NGO colleagues to further understanding of these links and propose immediate actions to embed this knowledge within educational programs and as industry standards.

• Promote the use of nature-based solutions by interdisciplinary teams working to solve the complex challenges posed by climate change and COVID-19.

• Advocate at the global level of government and in decision-making forums to implement actions that improve and sustain ecological and community health, and to lobby national governments and industry for the sufficient allocation of resources to research and implement positive change.

• Collaborate with the WHO, WFO, IUCN and other stakeholders as appropriate to support and, where possible, produce educational and advocacy material that links sustainability to ecological and community health.

• Agree to work with other IFLA Member Associations, academic programs and industry to compile a shared library of resources targeted at the global profession of landscape architecture.