Australia’s Urban Biodiversity: How Is Adaptive Governance Influencing Land-Use Policy?

Abstract

Green space in cities is valuable in improving the quality of life of urban residents. This occurs through the provision of ecosystem services within areas of open space. Biodiversity plays an important role in enhancing the resilience of urban ecosystems, ensuring the continued supply of ecosystem services.

Urban changes in Australia are expected to result in significant changes in urban biodiversity. Climate change is one factor considered likely to exacerbate many existing urban threats to biodiversity. Where cities are located in areas of high conservation significance, such as Melbourne’s temperate grassland communities, these rare and threatened habitats are particularly vulnerable.

Biodiversity planning policy in Australia largely focuses on the retention of existing areas of high native biodiversity. While this is important, a sole reliance on this approach likely results in inflexibility when dealing with uncertain urban changes. This paper questions whether land-use planning policy in Australia has due consideration in addressing the uncertain threat posed by urban changes such as climate change.

The paper investigates the current biodiversity land-use planning policy in Melbourne and Sydney through the lens of contemporary sustainability and resilience theory. The paper uses an analytical framework to assess land-use planning policies’ adoption of adaptive governance elements. We conclude that, while some policy measures provide adaptability in the face of uncertainty, more needs to be done to better protect Australia’s unique and valuable biodiversity from the unpredictability of urban threats such as climate change.