PART ONE - Fishers Ghost

expensive infrastructure costs, and the high value of resources in the area.”(page 162)This NSW Government policy position now provides more certainty for Council inpreparing its new LEP.7. Tackling Climate Change and Protecting Sydney’s Natural EnvironmentThe new Metropolitan Plan places a much stronger focus on addressing the impactsof climate change than the 2005 Metropolitan Strategy. It states that in order to tackleclimate change, cities need to develop ways to minimise the harmful effects of achanging climate. While climate change may not be able to be stopped or reversed,cities need to adapt to cope with the change (climate change adaptation) and tominimise further adverse impacts on the natural environment (climate changemitigation).Sydney is moving towards becoming a more compact, multi-centred city with jobslocated closer to homes and homes located closer to transport. Co-location offacilities, services and industry, with access by public transport and walking andcycling opportunities are also being encouraged. A compact city is considered to bethe most optimal urban form for minimising a city’s greenhouse gas emissions. NSWis committed to a 60% cut in the State’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (page171).Sydney will need to adapt to deal with a hotter climate, more frequent and intensebushfires, more rain in summer and spring and rising sea levels. One of the keyactions related to this issue is the development of a Climate Change AdaptationStrategy for Sydney in collaboration with councils. Other key actions include movingtowards integrating environmental targets into infrastructure and land use planning,improving the environmental sustainability rating of new developments, minimisingwaste, and continuing to focus on improving and protecting, air, water, biodiversityand environmental quality.8. Achieving Equity, Liveability and Social InclusionThe new Metropolitan Plan aims to promote equity and social inclusion in the SydneyRegion and to ensure that the quality of life, health and wellbeing within Sydney –and its liveability – is always improving. Providing access to job opportunities,transport, appropriate and affordable housing, and physical and social infrastructure,are important aims of the Plan.The new Metropolitan Plan aims to make certain that equity and social inclusion areaddressed through ensuring that plan making and planning decisions consider social,environmental and economic impacts; consider the specific needs of particulargroups of people (including older people, people with a disability, Aboriginal andTorres Straight Islander people, and children and youth); and, ensuring thatappropriate social infrastructure and services are in place.The key actions that have been identified to achieve equity, social inclusion andliveability are: providing guidelines on how to incorporate liveability and social inclusionmeasures into local environmental plans;