Kotchakorn Voraakhom

I’m Kotchakorn Voraakhom, a landscape architect from Thailand and Chairwoman of the Climate Change Working Group. I am reaching out to you today to make a call for unity and collaboration to use works to improve our planet in the pandemic era.

This global disruption has shed light on various systemic inequalities deeply embedded in our world. As prominent as they are in our line of work, these obstacles also illuminate and reinforce our power and potential as landscape architects to contribute creative, proactive nature-based solutions to tackle this health crisis, as with climate change and all other uncertainties that await us. Now is our only opportunity for action. It’s clear that, in order to tackle climate change, it is imperative we simultaneously address all the dimensions of human livelihood it touches, be it by promoting UN SDGs, net-zero emission goals, resilient cities, climate justice and cultural knowledge preservation.

From COP 26, the IFLA Climate Working Group and drafting committees have completed a Climate Action Commitment to stand strong on this vision towards sustainable development. The pandemic has presented an opportunity for us to rethink our ways and reimagine our future, and we hope all national members will join us in this direction forward.

I hope this commitment will unite us all in the landscape profession as a community to take action on climate change.

 As the first female landscape architect from Asia-Pacific to become Chair of the Climate Working Group, I’m grateful and honoured to work with you all to address an area I’m strongly passionate for. With this, I’d also like to use this occasion to celebrate all women with me in the field, as we break conventional confines in our industry and society, supporting each other in creating better living spaces for our communities.

As we venture into more challenging, unknown, yet exciting territory, I send my warmest appreciation and best wishes to all colleagues who come before me, to those who walk with me today, and to the generation who will carry on our mission. Let us unite our actions and hopes together.