New climate adaptation course fills knowledge gap for urban planners

Research reveals most Canadian urban planners enter the field without learning enough about strategies to help communities facing growing climate impacts.

Jeff Birchall (Photo: John Ulan)

After urban planning expert Jeff Birchall found a knowledge gap in Canadian planning programs, he created a new course to better prepare students to help communities facing the growing impact of climate change. (Photo: John Ulan)

Most Canadian urban planners enter the field without learning enough about climate adaptation, according to research by a University of Alberta expert who has developed a new course to help fill the knowledge gap. 

“Planners in part are responsible for making our cities livable, making our cities safe,” says Jeff Birchall, creator and instructor of the course, PLAN485: Climate Change Adaptation for Municipalities, as well as lead author of the study reviewing 24 accredited planning programs across Canada

Birchall notes that planners have many tools at their disposal, such as zoning bylaws and development permits. But as the study highlights, more technical knowledge about strategies for adapting to climate change could be a missing tool in their arsenal. Only two of the programs reviewed had required courses that covered climate change adaptation, suggesting a need for more thorough education on the topic.

“We don’t need planners to be climatologists or environmental scientists, but they need to have enough understanding that they can communicate the necessary information between the various professions involved in local climate change efforts,” says Birchall, director of the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Lab and associate professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

For the study, researchers interviewed 60 participants including engineers, local government planners, and sustainability experts to identify key strengths among planners. They noted planners’ strong communication and collaboration skills, as shown by their expertise in engaging the public and connecting different departments and organizations on large municipal projects. 

The main weakness revealed was a lack of technical knowledge about climate adaptation — something planners themselves said was an area largely missing in their education.

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One way the course aims to fill that knowledge gap is by examining local climate impacts and investigating how communities adapt. Birchall draws on a wide range of case studies, from Arctic communities struggling with permafrost thaw to urban centres facing increased risk of wildfires, flooding or coastal storms. Students analyze how these factors affect infrastructure and well-being in these communities. The assignments offer experiential learning opportunities driven by real-world scenarios, and much of the lecture content is based on his own research. 

Birchall also brings in guest speakers to share their perspectives, including emergency management personnel, land use planners, city managers, engineers and more. And to further develop planners’ strong communication and collaboration skills, the course emphasizes group work and facilitated discussions.

“What I want students to take away from this course is the importance of critical thinking, and the value of thinking about community resilience in a holistic way,” says Birchall, who was recently nominated for the Frontiers Planet Prize as a result of his research. “Adaptation is a key component of helping communities to be resilient.” 

The course is currently an elective aimed at undergraduates, but Birchall hopes it will eventually become a required course for students in the School of Urban and Regional Planning. As he notes, communities across Canada are facing increasing climate impacts. 

“We need to think about the future, not just the present,” says Birchall. “Urban planners are ideally positioned to support community resilience through climate change adaptation. As educators we can support them in this effort.”