Urban planning and natural hazard risk reduction: Critical frameworks for best practice

This document sets out a critical framework to guide improved integration of land use planning and wider natural hazard risk reduction actions. It is intended to support emergency managers and urban and regional planning practitioners in the complex task of integrating land use planning and disaster risk reduction in different Australian jurisdictions. The critical framework has been designed to speak to current terminology, processes and arrangements already used by these audiences.

Urban planning offers a range of potential benefits to reduce or even avoid many of the risks associated with natural hazards.  However, it is is not always fully utilised as a core mechanism to manage natural hazard risks, particularly those relating to human settlements.

The diagnostioc tools are scalable and adapatable to various circumstances and needs. Hence, the diagnoses can be applied to particiular hazards, certain geographical places, parts of or the entire planning system, or specific challenges associated with disaster risk reductions. The diagnostic tool includes a sequenced approach to examine complex situations and to develop logical and evidence-based directions for improved urban planning. This also allows improved connections with wider Disaster Risk Reduction practices. 

1. Establish Context, scope and key focus
2. Analyse focus area(s) in terms of relevant hazards
3. Analyse focus area(s) in terms of cross-cutting themes and challenges
4. Analyse focus area(s) in terms of specific diagnostic focus areas
5. Review and adjust or modify as appropriate

Three interconnected elements comprise the diagnstic tools, based on developing and applying knowledge regarding:

1. Natural Hazards, the sources of harm or situations with a potential to cause loss with their core transmission systems in the natural world.0F[1]
2. Cross-Cutting Themes, core disaster risk reduction principles that apply to all urban planning, settlement and natural hazard circumstances.
3. Diagnostic Focus Areas, risk reduction principles that relate to key categories of urban planning, communities and the range of other systems they interact with.