Planning and Climate Change

Flyer 1 Flyer 2 Background paper by President

The Society is co-hosting a face-to-face workshop on Saturday 21 October on the theme:

“Are Queensland’s urban and regional planning regimes fit for purpose, given climate change, given the vulnerability of many residential developments to natural disasters, and given relentless environmental deterioration?”

We aim to produce an “Action Plan” in the second afternoon session of the full-day workshop in collaboration with SEQ Community Alliance. The Alliance will host two sessions on a related theme. The event will be held in the QCA theatre, SO5_2.04, Griffith University, east end Southbank. Registrations are now open via the SEQ Community Alliance. See flyer 1 on RoySocQ letterhead and flyer 2 on SEQCA letterhead for more details.

As a teaser, browse through this powerpoint: An Analysis of the Land-New System in Queensland, Multiple Problems and the Benefits of Constructive Reform by Society member David Marlow, sponsor of the workshop.

Program

Program. Further details via the SEQ Community Alliance website here. We have confirmed that Mr Shannon Mooney will be the third speaker in the second morning session and Cr Greg Christensen is also scheduled, after the Society’s Dr Nelson Quinn and John Brisbin.

Call for Papers

Speaking opportunities are now closed. However, authors with something original to say are warmly invited to submit a paper for Special Issue volume 133 of the Proceedings of The Royal Society of Queensland. This edition is themed on “Planning for climate change”. Papers received before 31 December 2023 may be eligible for the $1000 David Marlow Writing Prize.

Registration

Register via the SEQ Community Alliance here.

Speakers

Bios of speakers are included in the program.

Background papers and commentary

President’s introductory paper “The Big Questions: Given climate change, how can Queensland’s planning system be rendered fit for purpose?”

Dr Ross Hynes’ Background Paper “Thoughts on resilience proofing SEQ and NE NSW from flooding, drought and fire: A hypothetical integrated strategy using a whole system framework in a time of increasing human population density and accelerating climate change”

Dr Philippa England’s press article on the weakness of the latest SEQ Regional Plan 20 Sep. 2023: All talk and no walk? The SEQ Community Alliance responds to the SEQ regional plan.

SEQ Community Alliance’s submission on the new SEQ Regional Plan 20 Sep. 2023: Draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update.

John Mongard 27 Aug. 2020: Shifting Climate / Shifting Places Climate Ideas & Actions for Kurilpa Precinct: Summary Of Workshop Outcomes.

Planning Institute of Australia policy positions on climate change and planning: https://www.planning.org.au/planningresourcesnew/climate-change. Click here for an explanatory presentation.

2017 anecdote: The President at the time dipped his toe into the water of public discourse over climate change via an article in The Courier-Mail of Brisbane on 19 October 2017 . Many of the >500 comments attached to the online version were nasty, shallow and unconducive to rational debate. The vehemence of the responses and their ad hominem flavour bode poorly for the prospect of crafting robust policy in Queensland.

On the science of climate change: Several websites summarise this very well, notably Australian John Cook’s excellent Skeptical Science https://skepticalscience.com/.

Additional materials to be attached as submitted.