Regional Environmental Planning

Regional environmental planning can be either a statutory process or a less formal one, undertaken, in either case, by subnational scales of government to promote sustainable development within their jurisdiction. Planning regulations and procedures were formalized in developed countries during the 20th century as a means of controlling land use. Proposed changes to land use (e.g., building a road or constructing domestic or industrial premises) were made subject to a review process under the auspices of the local government and with opportunity for public participation. This was effectively a form of environmental governance, before either popular or institutional concern for the environment became commonplace. These procedures are still fundamental to land use regulation but have been enveloped in a complex multiscalar framework designed to contribute ...