With over half of 2050 buildings yet to be constructed, today’s planning decisions will shape Australia’s building landscape and greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come. There is, however, a gap between high-level policy positions on climate change, both by state and local government, with the Victorian planning system, which does not adequately reflect these commitments or support climate action. To address this, the Victorian Government must mandate climate change as a core priority across all levels of planning to support a safe climate and resilient communities.
The Victorian Greenhouse Alliances commissioned a research report in 2021 on the current ability of the planning system to respond to climate change. The resultant Climate Change and Planning in Victoria report by Hansen Partnership details much needed areas for improvement in the current planning framework.
Using the evidence in the report, WAGA and six other Victorian Greenhouse Alliances alongside Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) advocated for changes to the planning system to increase the resilience of the built environment and reduce carbon emissions – and to achieve this through rapid transformational – rather than incremental – change.
The Planning for a Safe Climate campaign aimed to embed climate change into all planning decisions by amending planning legislation and regulation. 65 of the state’s 79 councils were involved in the campaign, representing one of the largest, most coordinated advocacy campaigns led by the local government sector in recent times. Four key asks of the campaign, reflecting the recommendations of the Hansen Partnership report were:
The campaign led to the March 2024 amendments Victoria’s Planning and Environment Act. These amendments “require consideration of climate change when making planning decisions about the use and development of land under the act and for other purposes, which includes greenhouse gas emissions, reductions targets and increased climate resilience” – a key ask of the campaign.
In September 2024, representatives of the Victorian Greenhouse Alliances met with the Minister for Planning, Sonia Kilkenny to discuss next steps and opportunities for collaboration in the ongoing work of reforming Victoria’s planning system for a safe climate and resilient communities. Following the meeting, five specific recommendations for action were summarised in a letter that was sent to the Minister in October 2024.
The Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action (WAGA) respectfully acknowledges and recognises the Woiwurrung, Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and we pay respect to their Elders, past, present and future.