Planning for Climate Change campaign

The 'Draft Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change - Discussion document' (UK) was published September 25 2006 at a Labour Party conference fringe meeting organised by the Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA) and Friends of the Earth (FoE). The publication follows a six-month consultation mimicking the Government's usual process.

The Planning for Climate Change campaign was launched one year ago when TCPA and FoE called for more Government action to promote the role of the planning system in combating climate change. In response, the Government announced plans to produce a new planning policy statement (PPS) on climate change. The first draft is due in winter (2006/2007), which campaigners fear may be too late to influence Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS's) and Local Development Frameworks (LDF's), which are currently being drawn up.

RSS's and LDF's should play a central role in developing strategic responses to climate change, the paper argues. It sets out how the new PPS will be well-placed to establish CO2 reduction targets in regional and local plans. Target-setting is already established in national policy, and the EU SEA Directive requires the collection of the necessary baseline data.

In this way the new PPS can enable the preparation of climate change policy to proceed through logical stages that address both mitigation and adaptation. This would range through the following five stages:


 * establishing baseline data (on CO2 emissions and vulnerability to climate impacts);
 * detailed analysis of new policy options (again for both);
 * target-setting (to reduce CO2, and `climate proof');
 * policy action; and
 * monitoring and review.

Through this coordinated approach the aim is to create a clear long-term sense of direction for communities, businesses and other stakeholders.

Organizations which have endorsed the draft PPS

 * Acclimatize
 * Beck Mittle Hydro ltd
 * Butterfly Conservation
 * Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
 * Combined Heat and Power Association
 * Council for British Archaeology
 * Council for National Parks
 * Friends of the Earth
 * Futerra
 * green alliance
 * Greenpeace
 * The Herpetological Conservation Trust
 * Local Government Association
 * The National Trust
 * OISD
 * Places for People
 * The Ramblers
 * RSPB
 * RTPI
 * Sheppard Robson
 * Town & Country Planning Association
 * Vale Royal Borough Council
 * Wildlife Trusts.

Reference

 * FoE press release