Climate Action

THUR-A02: Beyond the Blueprint: Climate Action Planning Across Practice Scales

Thursday, September 17, 2026

8:30 AM - 9:45 AM PT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Speaker(s)

Chelsea Gieryic, ASLA, AICP, SITES AP

Associate
Livable Cities Studio
Denver, Colorado
Jonah Susskind, ASLA

Director of Climate Strategy
SWA
Petaluma, California
Aida M. Curtis, FASLA, PLA, AIA

President // Chair Person
Curtis + Rogers Design Studio, Inc. // ASLA Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee
Miami, Florida

Climate action planning looks different in a five-person studio than in a global practice - and that matters. This session brings together firms and organizations of varying sizes to explore how scale, capacity, and culture shape climate action plans, offering practical insights attendees can adapt to their own practice realities.

Learning Outcomes:

Distinguish how climate action plans differ across small firms, large firms, and professional organizations, and why tailored pathways, rather than a single template, are essential for meaningful impact.
Evaluate how different practice types define scope and ambition within climate action planning, including decisions around focus areas and organizational capacity.
Identify common barriers to climate action planning, including resources, staffing, data, and accountability, as well as strategies used at multiple scales to overcome them.
Apply collaboration, accountability structures, and strategic partnerships—both internal and external—to embed climate action into firm culture and project delivery, even when firms hold limited scope.