Solutions for climate change challenges across the spectrum of urban scales for subtropical and tropical cities.
Since the arrival of TC Alfred, the Gold Coast's beaches have drastically altered due to persistent storms and climate change. Despite ongoing efforts in coastal management and engineering, such as sand replenishment, challenges remain as sand erosion worsens. The delicate balance of maintaining the ideal beach image faces scrutiny, urging a reconsideration of expectations alongside increasing threats from future severe storms and rising sea levels.
While trees can affect power lines, they are not the only factor contributing to power outages. Trees provide numerous environmental benefits in resilient subtropical cities. Fragile power infrastructure needs urgent re-thinking to avoid overheated unlivable cities amid climate change.
On eve of the ShapingSEQ 2023 Update, this article reprises a presentation I made 17 years ago, following the first Subtropical Cities Conference in Brisbane. The 2006 presentation proposed two scenarios to describe what SEQ would be like in 2050 depending on whether or not we took climate-based landscape and lifestyle as our cue in the policy environment. Hot and paved, or transformed and green.
On the eve of a city wide forum to create a Charter of Principles that will guide strategic decisions and make sure Brisbane thrives as a friendly and liveable place for future generations, I propose two scenarios to focus our minds.
Australia's summer heat poses challenges for walkability in Brisbane, where aspirations for a pedestrian-friendly city clash with ongoing suburban design shortcomings. While some public spaces reflect subtropical planning, many infill developments lack shade and greenery. Effective urban design must prioritize pedestrian comfort to enhance community interactions and ensure sustainable living spaces.
For residents of high-rise apartment buildings proliferating in cities across Australia energy insecurity is literally designed in to the dwellings they occupy. Energy unaffordability and problems that occur during power outages are intensified by energy-intensive building design. These problems are avoidable.
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