Can planning legislation in New South Wales support adaptation responses to the impacts of climate change in urban areas?: A study of green infrastructure in the Greater Sydney Region

Planning laws are essential to managing climate change adaptation in urban areas in Australia. Recently, the focus in New South Wales (NSW) has been on minimising the impacts of climate change on coastal and bushfire prone areas. Yet, the concern regarding the increasing impacts of extreme heat events in urban areas is growing. One of the adaptive responses has been through the development of green infrastructure. This concept is well-known for its multifunctional benefits, which extend beyond mitigating the urban heat island effect and improving air quality. This research explores how planning laws and other mechanisms of governance in NSW can support adaptive responses to climate impacts in urban areas through green infrastructure. Western Sydney, an area within the Greater Sydney Region is the focus area for this study. It has been selected due to its unprecedented urban and population growth, coupled with its escalating exposure to extreme heat events. The study investigates the NSW Government legal framework and instruments for planning, together with local government initiatives that underpin the rapid growth of this region. While this study acknowledges the growing commitment to green infrastructure through plans and policies, it argues for the need for green infrastructure to be incorporated in to the legal framework at state and local levels to support adaptation responses in vulnerable areas to extreme heat. International case studies provide exemplars as to how the law could evolve in the future. This includes the development of planning instruments for increased standards, funding and established responsibility between state and local government authorities.