Land use planning

Key messages

Land use planning is an important tool for building climate resilience at local and regional levels. Decisions about where and how land is developed can help avoid creating new exposure to climate risks and reduce vulnerability to floods, wildfires, landslides, heat and other climate-related hazards. Planning tools such as spatial plans, zoning and development requirements can help steer new development away from high-risk areas and ensure that future development takes changing climate conditions into account.
Climate-resilient land-use planning can deliver benefits for people, nature and the economy. Protecting and restoring natural areas, limiting soil sealing and integrating green and blue infrastructure can reduce climate risks while supporting biodiversity, water management and healthy ecosystems. These approaches also contribute to wider EU objectives under the Nature Restoration Regulation and the Soil Strategy for 2030.
Land-use and spatial planning provide important opportunities to integrate adaptation into long-term development decisions. Through land allocation, zoning, development requirements and the protection and restoration of ecosystems, national, regional and local authorities can steer development away from hazard-prone areas, safeguard natural resources and create space for nature-based solutions. This is increasingly relevant to wider EU policy: the Nature Restoration Regulation requires Member States to restore degraded ecosystems and strengthen their resilience. The Soil Strategy for 2030 seeks to reduce land take and protect the functions provided by healthy soils.
Participatory, inclusive planning can further strengthen climate change adaptation. Involving citizens, communities and other stakeholders can bring local knowledge into spatial decision-making, help identify different needs and vulnerabilities, and built support for long-term resilience actions.

Why climate change adaptation matters for the Land use planning sector

Europe is one of the most intensively used continents in the world, with up to 80% of its land shaped by human activities, including settlements, infrastructure, agriculture and forestry. Demand for land continues to grow: Europe's environment 2025 thematic Land use and land take analysis shows that settlement area in the EU increased by around 13% between 2005 and 2023. Urban development and land take create can fragment habitats, seal soils and reduce natural functions such as water retention, carbon storage and protection against flooding and heat.

Climate change adds further pressure by increasing risks from hazards such as flooding, drought, water scarcity, heat stress and other climate-related impacts. Decisions about where and how development takes place can influence future exposure and vulnerability. Integrating climate information into land-use decisions can therefore help avoid creating new risks and ensure that buildings, infrastructure and communities are better prepared for future climate conditions.