Land use planning strategies are an important part of Local Government's response to mitigating and preparing for climate change. In many ways, planning is a valuable tool for responding to the effects of climate change due to its broad scope of application and reach and relative flexibility as a mechanism for controlling land use and development (Maddocks, 2010).

However, there can also be numerous challenges and barriers for councils in applying land use planning instruments to address climate change issues and in considering climate change projections when formulating and applying land use planning measures. 

LGNSW, together with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, have prepared case studies on how three councils have addressed the need to prepare for climate change through land use planning strategies. Funding for this project was provided by the Office of Environment and Heritage.

Case Studies

• Eurobodalla Shire Council – 'Addressing sea level rise and erosion' (PDF, 356KB)
• Ku-ring-gai Council – 'Addressing bushfire risks' (PDF, 780KB)
• Lake Macquarie City Council – 'Addressing sea level rise and flooding' (PDF, 141KB)

Useful Resources

• Climate change adaptation through land use planning and disaster management (PDF, 245KB) Local government perspectives from Queensland. (Bajracharya, B., Childs, I., and Hastings, P., 2011)
• Coastal Councils and Planning for Climate Change (PDF, 620KB) An assessment of Australian and NSW legislation and government policy provisions relating to climate change relevant to regional and metropolitan coastal councils (prepared by the Environmental Defenders Office for the Sydney Coastal Councils Group, 2008).
• Planning for Climate Change: Leading Practice Principles and Models for Sea Change Communities in Coastal Australia (PDF) (Gurran, N., Hamin, E., and Norman, B., 2008)
• Sea level rise, coastal development and planned retreat: analytical framework, governance principles and an Australian case study (Abel, N., Gorddard, R., Harman, B, Leitch, A., Langridge, J., Ryan, A., and Heyenga, S., 2011, Environmental Science & Policy 14 (279 - 288)).

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