Zoning: A Prospective Instrument of Climate Adaptation

Abstract

Zoning, the set of laws that dictate how land can be used and what can be built on it, remains the most pervasive and powerful spatial regulatory tool available to local governments across North America. However, its application in systematically adapting to climate change is a novel and evolving practice. This article begins by highlighting the connections between ecological theories and public policy, illustrating how ecology has historically informed zoning and how contemporary ecological thinking can enhance zoning’s effectiveness in planning for climate change. The article then explores zoning’s current relevance and limitations in addressing the climate crisis, drawing on environmentally informed approaches to overlay zoning pioneered by landscape architects. The findings underscore that zoning must prioritize the environmental context and its variability as the primary condition for designing and planning climate‐resilient communities.