Progress on our seven commitments

RTPI Seven Commitments on Climate Change what are we doing?

• We launched our Seven Commitments on Climate Change initiative in 2009. One of the main aspects of our work since has been on mainstreaming consideration of climate change into how the RTPI and planners do our day to day jobs.
• Our document Shaping the Future: RTPI Manifesto for Planning states that the RTPI stands for planning that tackles the challenges of planning to live with climate change.
• We changed the judging criteria for our annual RTPI Planning Awards, to include the criteria, 'How the submission adapts to, or mitigates against the threats posed by climate change'.
• We revised the Learning Outcomes for RTPI Accredited Courses to include, 'Explain the contribution that planning can make to the built and natural environment and in particular recognise the implications of climate change'.
• We have published a discussion document on Peak Oil: The Implications for Planning Policy.
• Each year we run an extensive programme of conferences and CPD events, many of them have climate change and as a central theme. See the events calendar for details of forthcoming events.
• We are the UK contact point for ESPON and involved in disseminating the climate change related research that ESPON is undertaking.
• The RTPI is a member of the Inter-Institutional Flood Group.
• We constantly work to influence Government and government agencies policy relating to planning and climate change, through discussion and responding to consultations. We took a strong stance on the apparent downgrading of climate change policy in the draft NPPF.
• We are engaging with the National Adaptation Programme.
• We are a member of the Planning and Climate Change Coalition, which brings together over 35 cross-sector organisations and individuals to ensure that the planning system makes a full contribution to meeting the climate change challenge.
• We work with partner organisations on producing best practice advice. This includes:

Endorsement of the Planning and Climate Change Coalition publication Planning for Climate Change Guidance for Local Authorities.

We worked with the Energy Saving Trust on, Sustainable Energy in the Built Environment: Best Practice for Scottish Planners.

Endorsement of the cross sector guide Sustainable Design and Construction.

For more information, please contact practice@rtpi.org.uk.