CCAP

Climate Change Adaptation Planning (CCAP)
for
Planners of Built and Natural Environments

Climate Change Adaptation Planning for Planners of Built and Natural Environments

Survey of planners' professional development needs for climate change adaptation planning

The purpose of this survey is to gather input from planning practitioners on their needs and their thoughts regarding the kinds of attitudes, skills and competencies planners might require for proficiency in climate change adaptation planning. The survey results will be used in developing curriculum materials for professional development in climate change adaptation planning and will help to ensure their relevance to practitioners’ needs. Development of the materials is being supported by a grant from the Department of Climate Change under its Climate Change Adaptation Skills for Professionals Small Grants Program.

In accepting the grant, the School of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania undertook to (i) build understanding and skills for climate change adaptation planning; and (ii) contribute to mainstreaming climate change adaptation into existing postgraduate education and training for planners and managers of built and natural environments. The materials will focus on the needs of planners for knowledge, conceptual insights, and professional skills and tools for climate change adaptation planning and mitigation.

The intention is to develop postgraduate coursework material for a 12.5% unit (one quarter of a full-time study load across one semester) that will be modularized and can either be adopted as a total package or can be disaggregated into its sub-components for integration into existing environmental and urban planning coursework structures. This flexibility will also allow the unit to be utilized in a continuing professional development delivery mode.

Through a range of problem-based exercises, students will be given opportunities to develop specific climate change adaptation planning skills and competencies. The unit components will employ pedagogies that allow students to develop and rehearse the competencies and skills required for the professional practice of adaptation planning.

Unit development is being informed by an Expert Reference Group whose range of expertise will ensure relevance of the materials to the needs of planning professionals and integration of research knowledge, practical experience and pedagogy into unit content and delivery.

The unit will be trialled within the University of Tasmania’s environmental planning coursework units in 2009 with the intention of having the unit and its individual components ready for adoption elsewhere in 2010.

To assist in this project, we would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete the survey and return it to Dr. Julie Davidson at the address indicated at the end of the survey. Alternatively, the survey may be completed online.

This survey is being undertaken with a Certificate of Exemption from Ethical Review

Click here to download a Word version

Name (optional):
Position :
Planning field (urban, environmental, natural resources, reserves, other)

Q1 Are you confident that you are sufficiently equipped to undertake adaptation planning tasks?

Q2. Please list particular skills/competencies and tools that you think are important for planners to have in planning for climate change adaptation or in planning for change generally.

Q3. How important do you think it is for planners to have the following attitudes in planning adaptation to climate change?

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Very Important
Sense of hope
Commitment to adaptation
Readiness to play a leadership role
Appreciation of opportunities in adaptation planning
Appreciation of the complexity of climate change challenges

Are there other attitudes/values that you think planners should bring to adaptation planning? If so, could you please elaborate?

Q4. How important do you think the following competencies are for planners proficient in climate change adaptation planning?

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Very Important
Capacity for self-reflection and self-evaluation
Scientific literacy
Ability to interpret scientific research and data
High-level capacity for critical research
Familiarity with systems thinking
Ability to communicate scientific information to a range of stakeholders
Ability to facilitate broad stakeholder engagement
Ability to facilitate conflict resolution

Can you suggest other competencies that you feel planners should be equipped with to plan for adaptation? Please elaborate

Q5. How important do you think the following tools and skills are for planners proficient in climate change adaptation planning?

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Very Important
Familiarity with adaptation planning tools
Strategic planning
Vulnerability and risk assessment
Spatial decision tools
Integrated assessment and planning
Strategic environmental assessment
Forecasting and scenario planning
Low carbon planning
Collaborative planning
Monitoring, evaluation, review and improvement (MERI) methods
Connectivity conservation planning

Can you suggest other tools and skills that you feel planners should be equipped with to plan for adaptation? Please elaborate

Q6. Research into education for adaptation planning reports that learning modes incorporating ‘active’, ‘collaborative and team-based’, and ‘problem-based’ learning approaches are very important in equipping future adaptation planners.

In light of these findings, please number from 1 to 4 in order of importance which mode of course delivery you think would provide you with the best learning outcomes:

	an on-campus semester-based unit;
	an on-campus short course, such as a summer school
	distance study with a combination of an on-campus introductory course and online modules; or
	a fully online course

Q7. Would you be interested in upgrading your knowledge and skills in adaptation planning through an accredited continuing professional development course?

Q8. If you would like to contribute additional thoughts on professional education and training for climate change adaptation planning, your contribution would be gladly received.

For further details please contact:
Dr. Julie Davidson
School of Geography & Environmental Studies
University of Tasmania
Private Bag 78
Hobart TAS 7001
Email: Julie.Davidson@utas.edu.au
Ph: 03 6226 7675