Continuing Education for Climate Change: A Study of Australian Urban Planners’ Current Practices and Developing Competence

Abstract

Despite the critical need for urban planners to address climate change, there is a limited understanding of planning professionals’ perceptions of their climate change competency. This paper reports results from a survey of Australian urban planning professionals, identifying their perceived climate change knowledge, skills, competencies, and everyday practice. The urban planning professionals surveyed had high levels of perceived climate change knowledge, but only a small number incorporate climate change impacts into their professional work. They had limited access to information and tools needed for climate change planning in their practice. Areas for further competency development through continuing education are identified.