My approach to addressing climate change is an urban design one. I know there are many things that the Council is already doing as a result of them declaring a 'climate emergency' - which follow generally accepted methods for Councils to respond [1]. These existing measures need to keep building and continuing as Council does act at a grassroots level and should continue to support and nurture positive changes.
While these classic Council measures are great - and I have benefitted from them while leading the Brookville kindergarten, where the Council have always been helpful, supportive and encouraging of all sustainability initiatives we have had, I feel that there needs to be a greater step change in planning philosophy to encourage and guide long term behavioural change which will lead to positive environmental impacts.
Therefore my focus is on encouraging the Council to embrace the philosophy of the 20-minute neighbourhood [2]. This is a concept that has been embedded into Plan Melbourne and already embraced by cities like Paris (who is aiming for a 15 min neighbourhood to help address climate, density and livability issues). It is all about ‘living locally’—giving people the ability to meet most of their daily needs within a 20-minute walk from home, with access to safe and enjoyable walking, cycling and local transport options - so that we not only reduce our environmental footprint but also increase our quality of life.
This urban planning philosophy can be accelerated because COVID has proved to us that we don’t have to go into the CBD to work and we can meet many of our needs close to home. Even before COVID, Stonnington already had the second-highest percentage of people in Victoria who live and work in their local area.
The benefits to this urban design philosophy go beyond sustainability which is why I think it will be compelling to the diversity of people in Stonnington, they include [3]:
- Better reported wellbeing and health from higher levels of walking and cycling
- Savings in congestion, health, infrastructure and environmental costs from a reduction in private vehicle trips
- Alleviating pressure on our transport systems
- Enhancing a sense of community Increase actual and perceived safety
- Reduction in driving pollutants by as much as 40% and CO2 by 10%
- Reduced retail vacancy [4]
- Boosting retail trade [4]
- High street walking, cycling and public realm improvements can increase retail sales by up to 30% and over a month,
- People who walk to retail areas spend up to 40% more than those who drive
- It even increases property values (a high walk score for an apartment = +6% increase in market value, high walk score for a office or retail = 54% value increase) [4]
And I think the time is now to make this happen - and Stonnington is a great place (location, density, education and wealth) to embrace the concept of it.
So the specific action areas?
- Get the Council to embrace the ambition to be a 20-min-neighbourhood focus
- Audit our neighbourhood amenities to see what the optimal mix of services and resources needs to be - and allow planning to let that happen (e.g. adequate childcare close by, green space access, local shopping areas with a good mix of retail offers...) so that we literally don't need to drive as much. Then integrate that into our planning scheme and start actively correcting where we are weak. [5]
- Audit, plan for and action how we can increase Active Trasport (Walking, Cycling, PT) by making it a safer and more enjoyable option - ensuring streetscapes are desirable, places to be with adequate canopy cover and no concrete heat traps...
There will need to be many other initiatives occurring at the same time as this, and I am an open-minded person who knows that great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone, but I believe in the power of this urban idea to both increase our quality of life and to reduce our carbon and environmental impact.
=> This is what I think will help bring about increased sustainability while increasing the enjoyment of our neighbourhoods. What do you think we need to do?
Image: Photo by Nina Strehl on Unsplash
[1] http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/-/media/cityofdarebin/Files/Darebin-Living/CaringfortheEnvironment/EnergyandClimate/DCCFramework4ppA4FA1digital.ashx?la=en
[2] https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/428908/Creating-a-more-liveable-Melbourne.pdf
[3] https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-for-melbourne/plan-melbourne/20-minute-neighbourhoods
[4] https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/450135/Economic-benefits-of-20-minute-neighbourhoods.pdf [5] https://cur.org.au/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/urban_livability_checklist4pp-a3-aw-002.pdf