Environment Strategy

Background 

In 2020, Council engaged with the community to create the North Sydney Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2030. This strategy established targets for both Council’s operations and the broader community to meet various environmental goals, including responding to Council’s climate emergency declaration, protecting native flora and fauna, safeguarding our waterways, reducing waste to landfill, and using resources efficiently.

In developing this new draft strategy, the existing 2030 Strategy was reviewed alongside the latest environmental data, and updated to address emerging issues, revise targets and ensure ongoing relevance.

The new strategy reaffirms our commitment to environmental sustainability and remains underpinned by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Key strategic directions

This Environment Strategy details how Council will take action in collaboration with community members, businesses, neighbouring councils and other government agencies to deliver a healthy environment with thriving ecosystems and strong climate resilience.

To achieve this outcome, the strategy includes the following strategic directions:

• Restore and protect diverse ecosystems.

• Increase canopy cover to reduce urban heat island effects.

• Build climate resilience.

• Reduce waste and conserve our limited natural resources.

• Maintain healthy and clean waterways and public spaces.

The Environment Strategy is one of eight draft informing strategies that articulate the needs and priorities of North Sydney over the next ten years. Once adopted, these strategies will form the basis of our new 2025-2035 Community Strategic Plan (CSP).

Cost of delivering the Environment Strategy

Timing and delivery of new projects and initiatives will be dependent on availability of funding from a variety of sources, including but not limited to grants, developer contributions, and rates.

A detailed breakdown of the estimated cost and funding sources for all capital works identified within the informing strategies is provided in the appendix at the end of the Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP).

To deliver all expanded services and new and upgraded infrastructure detailed in the Environment Strategy, the estimated additional funding required from rates income is detailed in the table below:

Council is currently engaging with the community on a proposed special rate variation that presents four potential rate increase options. Options 2a, 2b and 3 will all facilitate delivery of the new projects and initiatives detailed in this strategy.

Using option 2b as an example, the average percentage of rates income that would be spent on delivering the expanded services and new and upgraded infrastructure identified in the Social Inclusion Strategy over the full ten year period is 0.7%.

This means that for every $100 of rates income received, an average of $0.70 would be spent on new projects, services and initiatives that support environmental sustainability. This spend is in addition to the existing budget.

If you need help accessing the Strategy or would like to view a hard copy version, please call 02 9936 8100.