On this page you can find some suggested tools and resources to support botanic gardens and arboreta working on climate change education activities. This page was set up to support those organisations who are signed up to BGCI’s Declaration of Intent on Climate Action Education, or are thinking about signing up.

Key Botanic Garden and Arboreta Tools

The Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens

Coordinated by The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, The Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens is an international information-sharing network which brings together botanic organisations and networks to take action to adapt our botanical landscapes to climate change. By acting now, we can ensure that what we treasure most about our botanic landscapes is safe guarded for the generations to come.

The Alliance is the voice of committed botanic gardens from around the world. Together, members will address the impacts of climate change on plants and landscapes, and in turn protect people and the planet. There are solutions to all the challenges posed by climate change in our collective knowledge, and we have the passion and determination to create the tools and actions required.

Their website also includes a series of tools and resources, including the Climate Assessment Tool, which provides tailored information to support decision-making regarding the protection and management of living collections with a current focus on long-lived assets – such as trees. 

The Climate Toolkit

Coordinated by Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, The Climate Toolkit is a collaborative opportunity for cultural institutions (including, museums, gardens, zoos, science centers, nature centers, field stations, performing arts groups and related institutions) who want to learn how to aggressively address climate change within their own organizations and inspire the communities they serve to follow their lead.

Currently, the Climate Toolkit embraces thirty-four goals for addressing climate change within the categories of energy, water, waste, food service, transportation, landscapes and horticulture, investments, engagement and research. The engagement goals section provides a series of goals, resources and case studies to support visitor engagement and action in climate change activities.

Other BGCI resources and case studies

• BGCI Roots Journal – Botanic gardens and climate change education – read this issue from 2021 which provides a series of case studies of BGCI member garden activities and programmes to support climate change education and action.
• Education grantee blogs – Read about the 2026 International Day of Education grantees, who are all delivering projects aligned with the Declaration.

Key climate change policies and frameworks

• Paris Agreement: A legally binding treaty adopted by 196 parties at COP21, aiming to limit global warming temperatures.
• UNFCCC : The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change provides the foundation for annual climate negotiations (COP)
• The Sustainable development Goals: A universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. The 17 integrated goals recognize that tackling climate change and environmental degradation must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health, education, inequality, and economic growth.
• Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), adopted at COP15 in December 2022, is a landmark international agreement designed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and achieve “living in harmony with nature” by 2050. The Framework builds on the foundations of the Sustainable Development Goals.