Investing in nature: Making Sydney greener for all

In some parts of Greater Sydney, open, green space is within an 800-metre walk while in others it can be as far as two kilometres away. But the city has the potential to be one of the world’s leading ‘biophilic’ cities – one that embeds living (natural) infrastructure in its design, planning and management to make access to nature more equitable, and where nature – species and ecosystems – is restored and regenerated.

The Committee for Sydney’s Nature Positive Sydney report proposes approaches to the restoration and regeneration of nature, with the aim of reversing their decline. Research shows nature-positive solutions can help cities rebuild in a healthier and more resilient way, while creating opportunities for social and economic development.

The report sets out a roadmap to address the long-term delivery of more green space, diversified eco-systems and other critical living infrastructure. It proposes financial incentives for developers and a new First Nations ecology centre to put greater emphasis on Country-centred design.

Principal Dario Spralja, who contributed to the report, said, “There’s a significant amount of work to be done to make Sydney ‘nature positive’, however it is blessed with an abundance of natural assets and beauty – our beaches, harbours, rivers, parks and surrounding mountains. To these we can add clever design of the built environment to make Sydney into one of the great biophilic cities.”

Dario said that the Nature Positive Sydney report generates some critical momentum to ensure living infrastructure is a fundamental part of any new development – the benefits of which include heat island reduction; air quality improvement; climate resilience; health and wellbeing improvements; improved biodiversity; and just simply a great place to live.

“Who doesn’t love a kookaburra dawn chorus to welcome a new day?”

Download Nature Positive Sydney.