Great post Richard, I can tell some hard work went into this. I found this particularly interesting because I was accepted to Penn’s Landscape Architecture Grad program (though I may not take this up due to lack of funding) - have you thought about connecting with some of the faculty? They’ve produced some interesting work such as this ‘World National Park’ concept.
I wonder if one solution is removing the bounding of just ‘climate change’ and instead expand things to Earth Systems Health/Integrity more broadly, perhaps using the Planetary Boundaries framework? https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries/the-nine-planetary-boundaries.html
My understanding is biodiversity losses, freshwater exhaustion, and land system changes are all interrelated anyway. And one of the underlying issues, in my humble opinion, is a dysfunction in humanity’s relationship with nature. As abstract as that sounds, valuing and feeling more connected with nature/environment more broadly may set strong values for preserving environmental/planetary integrity and increasing chances of flourishing—including on other planets should humanity become space-faring species and colonise habitable planets.
I didn’t immediately think of this but that’s a great thought.
There is quite a lot of interest (anecdotally speaking—I don’t have the numbers) of integrating nature into the urban realm. Depending on country, planning rules will require a ecological impact assessment.
At a larger scale—some thinkers push to the notion that the way to go is to find how we can recraft cities into a nature/urban hybrid so both humans, animals, plants, and other organisms can all thrive together.
If you’re interested in this topic, the New Landscape Declaration—a declaration written by Landscape Architects with a collection of essays has more ideas on the value of this area: https://www.lafoundation.org/resources/2017/11/new-landscape-declaration-book