The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) welcomes the new government of Queensland and their commitment to ensure planning schemes address the risks of natural disasters and climate change.

In their policy platform, the Queensland ALP committed to working with Local Government “to ensure that planning schemes appropriately respond to the risks posed by natural disasters and climate change”.

“We welcome the fact that the incoming government of Queensland takes the risks of natural disasters and climate change seriously,” said ASBEC Executive Officer Suzanne Toumbourou.

“An increase in general temperatures, due to climate change, has been predicted across Australia, with an ensuing upsurge in extreme weather events. Queensland has suffered many such events in recent years, including bushfires, drought, storms and floods.”

The built environment is at significant risk from the impacts of climate change and related extreme weather events. The estimated overall replacement cost for Australia’s built environment is in excess of $5.4 trillion with significant economic, social and environmental risks.

“Australia’s continuing prosperity is dependent on our resilience to these events. ASBEC’s Built Environment Adaptation Framework outlines the ways that federal, state, territory and local governments, industry, academia and the community sector can deliver effective resilience and adaptation strategies.”

ASBEC is calling for a review and reform of existing regulation to remove barriers to climate change adaption, as well as an integration of climate change considerations into strategic planning and planning policy measures to provide certainty for industry and the community.

“Managing risk in the built environment is absolutely crucial and ASBEC’s Built Environment Adaptation Framework provides a plan of action for all sectors. We look forward to engaging constructively with the new Queensland government as they work to achieve this.”

Download full media release HERE.
Download ASBEC’s Built Environment Adaptation Framework HERE.