Planning for climate change and sea level rise - Queensland's new Coastal Plan

Climate change is projected to cause sea level rise, and an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. As most of Queensland's population is settled in coastal areas, these events pose a major threat to development. The Queensland government has recognised this threat, and recently released a new Coastal Plan and associated legislative amendments. This plan seeks to minimise new development along the coast, and increase the resilience of existing development. This article will analyse the new regime for coastal management in Queensland, and conclude that it represents a positive step forward in safeguarding against the predicted impacts of climate change.