Flexible precision. Regulatory precision in master planning to advance climate targets

The main purpose of the study was to find out how climate targets are steered with a master plan in situations where zoning is subject to conflicting steering goals about flexibility and bindingness in the context of climate change control and regulation. In the study, the steering of climate targets refers to the actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency and renewable forms of energy. The research questions were answered using an case study approach, in which the master plans of the largest cities in Finland were examined from the perspective of climate target regulation. The results indicate that the regulatory precision of a master plan is affected by, for example, the following factors: the objectives, the regulation strategy and methods, features of the master plan, the material content, zoning processes, soft law, reliance on other regulation, and the norm formulation and cartographic representation of a master plan. In addition, regulatory precision has been analysed from the perspectives of different actors, and the impact assessment of regulation has been discussed. Based on the observations made in the study, it is possible to find various ways to develop zoning in a more flexible or precise directions.