The “Dark Side” of Climate Action Planning

We are increasingly seeing the unintended social consequences of climate action planning as urban efforts to be climate-responsive create uneven exposure to climate risks and contribute to new forms of gentrification and displacement. I use Yiftachel’s four dimensions of planning control as a framework to explore the circumstances in which planning emerges as an oppressive activity in the context of climate change. I argue that seemingly progressive mitigation and adaptation actions are accompanied by a “dark side” that can advance regressive outcomes despite the positive intentions of planners.