South East Queensland (SEQ) has experienced voracious growth over the past five decades. Spanning some 200 km, this sprawling subtropical coastal conurbation is beginning to reach its ecological and socio-political limits. Over the last decade there have been concerted efforts to manage this growth with a new regime of plans and policies, but climate change has significantly complicated the challenge. This paper offers a preliminary analysis of the situation. The major climate adaptation challenges for the region are identified, including: rising sea levels, storm surges, higher temperatures, and increased freshwater scarcity. These will impact most on the elderly, sick and disadvantaged who have lower levels of resilience. The key plans and policies that address these issues are then reviewed, including: ClimateQ; the SEQ Regional Plan; and, the Draft SEQ Climate Change Management Plan. The overall planning regime is appraised in light of five core themes of strong ecological modernisation (technological innovation; engaging with economic imperatives; political and institutional change; transforming the role of social movements and discursive change) and the principles of environmental justice. It is argued that together these schools of thought could provide criteria for a more effective and equitable climate adaptation response for the region.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	climate change adaptation, ecological modernisation, environmental justice, South East Queensland, growth management
Research Division:	Built Environment and Design
Research Group:	Urban and Regional Planning
Research Field:	Land Use and Environmental Planning
Objective Division:	Environment
Objective Group:	Land and Water Management
Objective Field:	Urban and Industrial Land Management
UTAS Author:	Byrne, J (Professor Jason Byrne)
ID Code:	125276
Year Published:	2010
Deposited By:	Geography and Spatial Science
Deposited On:	2018-04-11
Last Modified:	2018-07-17
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