A major one-day conference focusing on green infrastructure issues is being held in London on Thursday at the British Library Conference Centre near St Pancras.
The conference is organised by Green Social Engineering and supported by BALI, Green Infrastructure Partnership, The Parks Alliance, the Institute of Horticulture and the International Federation of Landscape Architects (Europe).
It is aimed at government and local authority senior staff, councillors, urban planners, architects, landscape architects, contractors, health directors, ecologists and environmental space managers.
Content will be of vital interest to those interested in ensuring the value and benefits of green infrastructure are realised for the long-term benefit of society.
There is now overwhelming international evidence that green infrastructure (GI) - parks, green spaces, green roofs, trees, green walls, gardens - is a vital component of the built environment. Leading national and international experts will explain how environmental issues impact on health, employment, climate change, and the economy.
Among the conference speakers are DEFRA advisor Professor Walter Distaso on economic growth, Matthew Thomas, environment programme officer of Greater London Authority, and Dr Helga Dittmar, a leading expert in social and health psychology.
Also taking part is Professor Paul Ekins, one of Britain’s top academics and government advisers. He is professor of Resources and Environmental Policy and Director of the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources at University College London.
Leading UK environment expert Dr Ian Mell, of the University of Liverpool School of Environmental Sciences, will give an up-to-the minute appraisal of where Britain stands in the sustainabilty stakes.
And experts in local government cost savings will explain how sustainable green space management can fit in with budget cuts and improve carbon exchange.
One of France’s leading exponents of sustainable planting in urban environments, Jacques Soignon, director of parks and gardens at Nantes – the capital of Brittany and sixth largest city in the country – will explain how their long-term vision and a change in their horticultural strategy created savings, more attractive surroundings and is significantly boosting tourism.
Nantes holds the title of 2013 European Green Capital and is proud of the advances the city has made in promoting sustainable planting and management.
Speaker Howard Wood, director of Landscape and Environmental Services Ltd, has been a sustainability advisor to Lyon in France since 2003 as well as being a consultant for French seed breeders Top Green, Euroflor and UK suppliers Rigby Taylor.
He will explain how a change in green environment policies can make savings for local authorities and enhance urban surroundings for the benefit of the public.
Conference topics include:
- Climate Change economics
- Urban Sustainability to combat Climate Change
- Green Infrastructure's contribution to economic growth, local society, healthy communities, youth employment and expanding development of the British landscape industry.
Tony Brophy, chair of trustees of Green Social Engineering, says: "We have gathered some of the most influential speakers on environmental issues together to demonstrate, from practical experience, the importance of developing a sustainable green infrastructure.”
Other speakers include Graham Duxbury, chief executive of Groundwork, Rob Donald, managing director of Twyford Twenty Ltd, Jan Pell of Landlife and Dr. Mike Wells, director of Biodiversity by Design.
International speakers include Professor Cedo Maksimovic of Imperial College London (Civil and Environment Engineering) and Belgrade Faculty of Civil Engineering.
