This presents findings from a review of low carbon initiatives in Australia with a particular focus on Melbourne, Victoria exploring the policy context in which these initiatives and responses have emerged, the typical approaches adopted and the implications for urban change and governance.

Almost a decade ago in October 2002, the state government of Victoria introduced Melbourne 2030 – Planning for Sustainable Growth, a new metropolitan planning strategy for Melbourne. This papers purpose is to evaluate the policies contained in Melbourne 2030 and to examine what they achieved, and the reasons for successes and failures.

The trend towards larger, detached, energy intensive dwellings in poorly serviced, low-density, urban fringe locations, leaves governments, households and communities vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The planning and design of new outer urban areas, and the retrofitting of existing ones, affects the extent to which communities can adapt to changing climactic conditions. Policy...