Stronger direction from the Government and more resources are needed to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, according to town planners.
Nearly nine out of every ten respondents to a survey by the Royal Town Planning Institute agreed there should be stronger direction from Whitehall and greater resourcing, training and capacity for local authority planning departments to meet the government's objective.
Nearly four fifths of respondents agreed climate action should be a top priority for the profession, but less than one in five thought the nation’s planning system or policy framework were well equipped enough to deal with the climate crisis.
The institute's chief executive Victoria Hills said planners could not resolve the issue of climate change on their own.
She said: 'The Government’s own advisory body, the committee on climate change, has acknowledged the role of planners in taking decisive and effective climate action.
'But without strong direction from central government and an increase in resources and capacity at a local level, it will be impossible for planners to meet the challenges of climate change and achieve the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.'
