18 March 2009

Visiting professor to address climate change challenges for planners

Research Seminar, 3.30pm, Thursday, 19 March, 2009, Lecture room 5017 Matthew Building, University of Dundee

The challenges facing town and regional planners across the globe as a result of climate change will be examined at a University of Dundee research seminar tomorrow.

Dr John Curry, Associate Professor and Past Chair of the School of Environmental Planning at the University of Northern British Columbia, will deliver a talk entitled 'Adapting to Climate Change in Canada and Scotland: can we learn from each other?'

He is currently conducting research with Town and Regional Planning at Dundee, and his talk will focus on adaptation in light of climactic changes. Dr Curry will outline how the challenges brought about by climate change can be tackled through better, and more collaborative, planning at local and regional levels.

Having extensively researched the effects of climate change in Canada, and its implications for planning policy and practice, Dr Curry is well placed to draw comparisons with Scotland.

He said, 'Most people now agree that climate change is happening and we have decide how to mitigate, or stop, the pollution that is contributing to it.'

'Temperatures are set to increase by 2-5 degrees Celsius over the next 100 years. It is widely known that this will have a significant affect on a great many areas and this brings with it challenges for planners.'

'We held a workshop involving planners from right across western Canada last year where we discussed how to deal with the planning challenges we face at a community level.'

'One of the main topics of discussion was infrastructure; roads, sewers, drains, buildings and other things that were planned to cope with certain climate conditions, which are now changing.'

Before taking his appointment at UNBC, Dr Curry acquired extensive public and private sector experience. In addition to working with communities in the areas of economic, social, and ecological planning and development, he spent five years as Editor-in-Chief of the professional journal of the Canadian Institute of Planners.

His current research focuses on examining barriers to change in implementing sustainability and methods to incorporate principles of sustainability into rural and remote communities.

Notes to editors:
Level 5 of the Matthew Building can be accessed from either Perth Road via the main entrance to Duncan of Jordanstone or from the Hawkhill part of the campus behind the Welcome Trust complex.

Dr Curry will be available for photographs and for interviews at 3pm.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk