Due to Schwartz’s interest and knowledge on the topic of climate change, geoengineering and the Earth System, much learned from scientists at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), Schwartz, due to her self-education on Earth System Science,  transformed as a person who was able to better understand the importance of NATURE, and the benefits that we, humans, are served by Nature.

Her concern is that the people within the wealthy, industrialized countries of the Global North have lost touch with nature, who believe that technology will be the answer to Climate Change. She believes that due to the incredible rise of technology, we have forgotten that nature provides for us. Given that humans are organic-based animals, we need nature to provide our (organic)food, biodiversity, fresh water, and oxygen, all of which is under risk due to climate change. 

But Schwartz says that the need for ADAPTATION and regeneration is, not only pertinent to “natural environments’, but will be critically needed within our cities too, as most cities will share many of the same climate  impacts: severe heat, floods, droughts, lack of access to food and water, sea level rise, loss of biodiversity, and vector-borne diseases. Schwartz has been lecturing on the importance of the URBAN LANDSCAPE, which she says to be invisible to almost all sectors within the built environment (architects, city planners, urban designers, mayors and other city governments). Through her own experience working within cities,  Schwartz says that we have come to believe that the urban land is valued only by what is built upon it. 

She strongly believes that due to our education in landscape architecture, of natural systems and the vital importance of the regeneration of the Earth, the profession of Landscape Architecture is able to provide services for climate ADAPTATION and that landscape architecture will be the “GO TO” profession in the near future.  In a book by Gernot Wagner, a geoengineering scientist and economist, says in his book “Geoengineering: The Gamble, < he explains  that taking down emissions is for the future, and ADAPTATION is for now. He explains that first, we put up greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels, which traps the heat coming from the sun like a big, thick blanket of CO2, causing the Earth to heat up due to the Earth’s inability to bounce the heat back into space.  The incoming  heat is also absorbed by the earth and oceans. The trapped heat absorbed by the Earth, known as “embedded warming” is very slowly released back into the atmosphere decades after the emissions have been absorbed by the soil.  This slowness is due to the slowness of natural processes. What we are feeling today are the impacts of CO2 absorbed by the Earth decades ago. Therefore, dealing with emissions is for the future.  However, ADAPTATION tackles the impacts of climate change NOW, protecting human welfare. We need to stop our only focus on emissions, and must get to the part where we start to protect ourselves from unchecked global warming and the reality that we are not going to make the Paris Agreement Goal of 1.5C

Schwartz says that since the Global South is on the forefront of Climate Change, it must start to ADAPT NOW. Since 78% of all the people are going to be living in cities by 2050, the ‘Urban Landscape’ will prove to be a critical player in the protection of cities. However, it is just plain stupid for the Global North countries to no consider ADAPTATION for ourselves.  She says  that New York City, where she lives, is starting now to figure this out, as the city is terribly vulnerable to severe rains and sea level rise.

Given that we will pass the Paris Agreement’s goal of 1.5C, we are entering a Climate Crisis, which will create global devastation.  Cities around the world will be facing major impacts such as extreme heat, lack of access to food and water, floods, draughts, vector-borne disease,and many such catastrophes.  ADAPTATION can address all of these impact, and this points directly to the profession of landscape architecture

However, as an actor within the ‘Built Environment Sector,’ she believes that most of the sector’s professionals, including mayors, developers, planners, and others who are in charge of the many urban sectors worldwide, are completely ignorant of the importance of the “Urban Landscape”. Schwartz says it is ‘invisible’,  as its value is seen only by the value for  what is built on it. Schwartz is particularly involved in this issue, and lectures on ”Climate Change and the Urban Landscape”.

As well,  Schwartz has  shared her learning with her company MSP. Schwartz says, “MSP has incorporated this knowledge within MSP and makes sure that we teach our clients so they are knowledgeable on the climate change impacts that may be coming their way.  With this information, MSP often works in collaboration with other professionals (engineers, ecologists, soil scientists, geologists etc.) to ensure that their client’s investments will be able to face the future.”

MSP now proudly brings this knowledge to all their clients as most are not aware of the impacts of climate change they will be facing in the next 50 years or so, and that their investments will likely be at risk.  Lastly, under Schwartz’s clairevoyant  leadership, MSP and all its stakeholders are able to offer solutions that can improve these impacts and through conversation and what MSP calls,  “Pre-Design” MSP is aiming to move forward to determine appropriate infra-structures, land planning, land management, proper materials, soil health and the right plants, all of which are foundational to the next step, which is sustainable and beautiful design.