Peter Newman

Sustainability assessment and planning: The evolution of parallel universes

Peter Newman
Director, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Unit, WA

Abstract:
Statutory planning was the first assessment tool but was not flexible enough or scientific enough to cope with major projects so EIA was created with all its regulation and process. Thus began two parallel universes one from the social sciences and design professions and the other from the natural sciences and engineering – but both trying to create a better future with common good outcomes. They are not easily brought together and hence they have often divided up into city vs the bush and small vs big. But the strengths of each need to be better integrated. SIA is one of the approaches that attempts to bridge the universes but it is still not enabling the kind of big picture approach to cities and regions that planning enables. Planning on the other hand still finds sustainability difficult to mainstream. Sustainability assessment techniques that may be able to bring the two universes together are suggested based on the idea of resilience.

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