Apocalypse now: Australian bushfires and the future of urban settlements was published by leading climate and sustainability experts Prof. Barbara Norman, Prof. Peter Newman and Prof Will Steffen. The paper draws together observations of Australia’s 2019/20 bushfires and reflects on the lessons Australia can learn from such experiences when considering the planning of urban settlements.
The findings are set out in two scenarios suggesting that the fires can lead to a new model for climate resilient development that can flow into larger centres with multiple benefits. Researchers found that a combination of three factors were particularly important for strengthening the resilience of urban settlements:
- ‘Renewable energy’ replacing oil and gas as well as coal.
- ‘Urban sustainability’ that can deliver climate responsive urbanism and not the scatter that has locked in such high consumption and poor ecological outcomes.
- ‘Investment in implementing climate responsive cities’ and continuous review of urban management strategies informed by the latest climate science and community needs to ensure that appropriate strategies are implemented in a timely and effective way to minimise risks to urban communities
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