The draft strategy was co-designed by Council staff and external consultants. The draft strategy was also informed by feedback collected from the Imagine Greater Bendigo process, including feedback collected via the online survey, listening posts and the deliberative engagement weekend.

Additionally, a community poll was undertaken during the Sustainable Living Festival (27 March 2021). This poll asked community to vote on their favourite Flagship Project.

The Sustainability and Environment Advisory Committee has also provided input into the strategy’s development and provide a direct link to Council.

Representatives from partner organisations were interviewed about the current Environment Strategy and asked about what the updated strategy should include. The organisations that were interviewed include North Central Catchment Management Authority, Dja Dja Wurrung, Coliban Water, Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership and Central Victoria Greenhouse Alliance.

Council is committed to addressing the environmental and climate change breakdown. The new Local Government Act includes climate risk and the need to consider future generations in planning for the best outcomes for the community. The Victorian Climate Change Act also asks local governments to set emission reduction targets, and climate change is increasingly important in other Council strategies as well, including the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Council has recognised the urgent need for action to address the environmental and climate breakdown that poses serious future risks to the health and wellbeing of the people of Greater Bendigo, especially those who are socially and economically the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community.

We know that climate risks will impact public health, emergency management, community services and recreation facilities and carry financial and social implications for Local Government requiring a whole-of-Council approach.

Cities must be responsive to climate, environmental and biodiversity breakdown, investing in restoration and conservation of biodiversity, and ensuring a resilient city in current and planned actions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Greater Bendigo celebrates our diverse community. We are welcoming, sustainable and prosperous. Walking hand-in-hand with the Traditional Custodians of this land. Building on our rich heritage for a bright and happy future.

The Community Vision is inextricably tied to the health of our environment and the sustainability of our systems. Without these, we cannot have a healthy, sustainable and prosperous community.

The contribution of the City of Greater Bendigo Climate Change and Environment Strategy to achieving our community vision is to: drive carbon emissions to zero, create a circular economy, have an active and low carbon transport network, support sustainable food systems, have water sensitive places and communities, and regenerate our natural environment.

The Climate Change and Environment Strategy has six action areas, which collectively contribute to all seven outcomes in the Council Plan.

The strategy includes 2036 and interim targets in the six action areas of Zero Carbon, Circular Economy, Sustainable Food Systems, Sustainable and Active Transport, Biodiversity and Regeneration, and Water Sensitive Bendigo.

It includes priority actions for the period 2021 – 2026.

This includes actions for Council, partners and the wider community.

This strategy builds upon the work that was done for the 2016 Environment Strategy. The 20 year goals (to 2036) carry through to this new strategy. The One Planet framework continues to be used.

The Flagship projects have been updated – some are new and some have been retained and are moving into a new phase.

The focus of the One Planet Living Framework has been refined from ten actions areas to six. This is to make the strategy more targeted and allow other strategies to deliver on the other action areas.

The updated strategy also includes a stronger focus on climate action, whereby there are specific targets and actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change

The Flagship Projects that have been chosen to lead and inspire municipal-wide action and deliver on multiple goals within the strategy.

The flagship projects are designed to push beyond ‘business as usual’, deliver lasting benefits and inspire broader change. They are big projects that need an integrated approach - different people, different groups and different sectors working together to create change.

Some are new and some build upon the foundational work done in the previous strategy.

The Flagship projects for the Strategy are: Reimagining Bendigo Creek, Healing Country Together, Be the Change, The Bendigo Climate Collaboration, and Showcasing Environment Development.

Greater Bendigo has seen the benefits from the 2016 Environment Strategy including: increasing Council tree planting program through Greening Greater Bendigo, the development of the Food Systems Strategy and more investment in sustainable food systems and agriculture, more bike paths along urban corridors, supported Dja Dja Wurrung to heal water at Wanyarram Dhelk, and the organics kerbside collection.

These initiatives are changing our communities for the better, socially, economically, culturally and environmentally.

The Climate Change and Environment 2021 – 2026 Strategy will accelerate our action on climate change by rapidly reducing our emissions, we know that every effort to reduce greenhouse emissions matters and will help us avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

The Strategy will also provide adaptation benefits by reducing our exposure to climate risk, investing in our resilience and protecting our way of life.

The strategy is an opportunity to create not just a safe climate, but a community where people are healthy, have equitable access to work, recreation and services, and landscapes and ecosystems are thriving.