Responding to a transformative stressor : climate change and the institutional governance of Australian cities


Autoria(s): Matthews, Tony
Data(s)

2011

Resumo

This paper understands climate change as a transformative stressor that will prompt responses from institutional governance frameworks in Australian cities. A transformative stressor is characterised as a chronic large-scale phenomenon which triggers a process of institutional change whereby institutions seek to reorientate their activities to better manage the social, economic and environmental impacts created by the transformative dynamic. It is posited that institutional change will be required as Australian metropolitan institutional governance frameworks seek to manage climate change effects in urban environments. It is argued that improved operationalisation of adaptation is required as part of a comprehensive urban response to the transformative stresses climate change and its effects are predicted to create in Australian cities. The operationalisation of adaptation refers to adaptation becoming incorporated, codified and implemented as a central principle of metro-regional planning governance. This paper has three key purposes. First, it examines theoretical and conceptual understandings of the role of transformative stressors in compelling institutional change within urban settings. Second, it establishes a conceptual approach that understands climate change as a transformative stressor requiring institutional change within the metropolitan planning frameworks of Australia's cities. Third, it offers early results and conclusions from an empirical investigation into the current prospects for operationalisation of climate adaptation in planning programs within Southeast Queensland (SEQ) via changes to institutional governance. A significant emerging conclusion is that early climate stresses appear not to be leading to episodic institutional change in the metropolitan planning frameworks of SEQ.

Formato

application/pdf

Identificador

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/62267/

Publicador

State of Australian Cities Research Network (ACRN)

Relação

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/62267/1/Responding_to_a_transformative_stressor_Author%27s_Accepted_Copy.pdf

Matthews, Tony (2011) Responding to a transformative stressor : climate change and the institutional governance of Australian cities. In Proceedings of the State of Australian Cities National Conference 2011, State of Australian Cities Research Network (ACRN), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.

Direitos

Copyright 2011 [please consult the author]

Fonte

School of Civil Engineering & Built Environment; Science & Engineering Faculty

Palavras-Chave #120500 URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING #Transformative stressors #Urban governance #Climate change #Institutions
Tipo

Conference Paper