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A national strategy for a low-carbon economy: The contribution of regional development planning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Patrick Troy
Patrick Troy*
Affiliation:
The Australian National University, Australia
*
Patrick Troy, Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University, Linnaeus Way, Bldg 48, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. Email: patrick.troy@anu.edu.au
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Abstract

Planning for a low-carbon future in Australia will need to address simultaneously three aspects of sustainable development: centralisation/regional development, mobility and communication. After reviewing existing roadmaps for low-carbon growth by 2050, the article identifies the importance for Australia of an integrated and mutually reinforcing set of measures, based on a bold approach to urban and regional planning. Taking account of national geography, the approach is based on the decentralisation of energy production, use and storage, and on new uses of communication, transport and the location of food, water and mineral resources. Revitalised regional centres could be connected, through new energy and transport solutions, by a national transport arc and electrified highways. The use of infrastructure funding to support low-carbon regional development would avoid the ‘tragedy of the commons’, transcending incremental, cumulative approaches based on compensation and incentives for household, business and sectoral abatement efforts. It would generate long-term environmentally sustainable development.

Keywords

Q16Q2Q35Q42Q54R1Carbon emission reductioncarbon neutralityclean energy production and storageclimate changeglobal warminggreenhouse gas reductioninfrastructure fundinglow-carbon growthregional developmentwater resources
Type
Sustainability strategies
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , March 2017 , pp. 57 - 76
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017

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