The sustainability projects defining Sunshine Coast’s future

Sunshine Coast Council has released the sixth annual report for the Environment and Liveability Strategy, recognising some of the achievements delivered in 2022/23. 

Many achievements were in partnership with the community, government and non-government organisations.

Highlights include:

• Ongoing implementation of the Sunshine Coast Biosphere such as the Biosphere Photography Showcase and Kids in Action BiospHEROES Program. Governance arrangements were implemented including the establishment of our Coordinating Committee and Community Advisory Group.
• Official opening of the Sunshine Coast City Hall, designed with sustainability at its core, including features that will reduce our environmental impact and embrace the Sunshine Coast climate.
• Development of the Cool Homes for the Sunshine Coast design guide to help people understand our local sub-tropical climate to inform the design and liveability of our homes.
• Creation of the Regional Climate Action Roadmap to guide, inform and build regional capacity to develop and prioritise local responses to climate related risks such as sea level rise, higher temperature, bushfires, floods and droughts.
• Establishment of new, and upgrades to existing playgrounds, including:
  • Buderim Village Park
  • Quota Memorial Park, Nambour
  • Turner Park, Beerwah
  • Albany Lakes Park, Sippy Downs.
• Adoption of Council’s Organisational Zero-net Emissions Plan to provide a roadmap on how Council is to meet its target to be zero-net emissions by 2041.
• The expansion of our residential waste collection services to include garden organics as part of our efforts to reduce emissions associated with our waste.
• Partnering with the community to build a healthy environment and sustainable Sunshine Coast through a range of different initiatives such as our Kids in Action Program.
• Construction of new coastal pathway links at Dicky Beach and Warana as we continue to support the sustainable use and enjoyment of our coastal environments.
• Continued management of invasive plants and animals to reduce their social, economic and environmental impacts.
• Building our knowledge to enable evidence-based decision making such as, the Cool Urban Forests project – a partnership study with University of the Sunshine Coast to find hot spots of the Sunshine Coast using high-tech 3D modelling to inform ways to cool them down.

The annual report also showcases our organisation’s sustainability performance, including our carbon emissions.

View the annual report here.