Study on China’s Adaptation Policies to Climate Change from the View of Urban and Rural Planning

Abstract

China’s policies for responding to the effects from climate change caused by rapid development of urbanization are shifting to policies informed by urban and rural planning practices. China has released a large number of policies on urban and rural planning addressing the aspects of function and layout optimization of urban groups, ecological afforestation, infrastructure safety, and energy efficient construction, buildings, and transportation. Based on the background analysis of urban and rural planning in the mitigation policies that have been relatively developed, this paper analyzes and details adaptation policies that have emerged recently. At the national policies level, this paper re-discusses the definition and features of climate change adaptation in urban and rural planning. At the local policies level, three representative case studies were selected and analyzed from 28 cities piloting adaptation policies. Finally, this paper analyzes existing problems of urban and rural planning in adaptation policies as well as explores development modes.