Scaling Up Urban Nature Through Equitable Land Use Planning

This paper explains how community-driven and socially responsible nature-based solutions (NbS) can shape transformative urban land use planning for climate action in Australia. Through a detailed analysis of four case studies in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, and Logan (Brisbane Metropolitan Area), the research shows how local communities and social enterprises embed principles of social equity, ecological stewardship, and the Indigenous Australian’s notion of Caring for Country (or the reciprocal relationships between people and land) in climate action, and reinterpret land not as a commodity, but as a site of ecological, cultural, and social significance. These practices demonstrate how NbS can support inclusive and locally grounded climate responses in cities and reveals that current land use planning systems often lack the flexibility, adaptability, and recognition necessary to respond to and support such practices. The paper highlights the need to reframe the assumptions regarding scaling up climate action and planning reforms that enable secure land access, clear guidelines for NbS in cities, and co-governance with community actors. Importantly, the paper underscores the risk of green gentrification, wherein greening efforts may contribute to displacement and exclusion if they’re not carefully managed. Ultimately, the findings advocate for a reimagined planning paradigm that places equity, Indigenous knowledge systems, ecological restoration, and community agency at its core, to achieve truly transformative climate action in Australian cities.