• The UK is yet to develop a consistent approach to climate adaptation and mitigation through the planning system. Local authorities in England particularly are currently given significant autonomy in determining their own environmental policies. As a result, there is significant variation in requirements for carbon reduction and climate mitigation policy, with some local authorities yet to include it in local plans in any meaningful way.

• In order to deliver a greater consistency of approach, a national or regionally prescribed policy for infrastructure provision and carbon emission reduction could be beneficial in line with the approach in Wales. Consistent policy across strategic planning areas will help ensure housing delivery continues to meet need while also driving a movement towards higher standards in environmental sustainability.

• It is important that national planning policy sets a level playing field for the development industry as soon as possible. In the context that a significant number of local authorities have declared a climate emergency, planning guidance should provide clear policy on ensuring energy targets are achievable and not simply aspirations. It should highlight the need for policies to be supported by robust evidence of viability on the basis of an increasing level playing field in respect of benchmarked standards. This will reduce costs and ensure delivery of dwellings/other development is not compromised.

• New development should contribute positively to climate change objectives, and the planning system should encourage new development to not only enhance the natural environment, but also positively support the development of low carbon energy technologies and industries supporting a low or net zero carbon industry. The NPPF could do more to actively encourage this through the application of the presumption in favour, and in its approach to the development of renewables in the countryside. A positive rather than punitive approach like this should cause the least disruption as the industry adjusts to more climate-resilient models.

• Wales could provide a useful model to follow. It includes guidance at a national level and sets a series of requirements, and outlines a broad spectrum of measures that will help to achieve them. The focus is on reducing impacts and emissions as well as increasing resilience and maximising environmental performance. This is already influencing emerging planning policy and decisions on which sites to allocate and which schemes to allow. The approach is likely to be strengthened with climate change driven from the centre of national and local government - and especially from the new Ministry of Climate Change.

• Scotland’s position is to an extent in transition, whereby the much anticipated revised National Planning Framework (NPF4) will, upon adoption by Scottish Ministers in 2022, assume an enhanced status and weight within the planning policy hierarchy. The precursor Position Statement (November 2020) was clear that the Scottish Government’s intention is to rebalance the planning system so that climate change is a guiding principle for all plans and decisions, with a focus on actively encouraging all developments that help to reduce emissions and stimulating the green economy by facilitating innovation, greener design and place-based solutions. Twelve key points are identified by the Position Statement to implement this ‘rebalancing’ and achieve net zero emissions by 2045. These will be detailed in the forthcoming draft NPF4 and, subject to public consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny, will require the new generation of Local Development Plan policies to be in compliance with these strengthened environmental provisions.

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_{Read the articles within Planning Research 2021 below.}