City of Sydney_CoS
CITY OF SYDNEY
GREEN. GLOBAL. CONNECTED.
Sustainable Sydney 2050 is a set of goals we have set for our city to help make it as green, global and connected as possible by 2030. The plan will transform the way we live, work and play.
Sydney 2050 came to life after we asked residents, visitors, workers and businesses what kind of city they wanted. People told us they wanted a city that cares about the environment, has a strong economy, supports the arts and that connects its people to each other and the rest of the world. Sydney 2030 is now the cornerstone of everything we do.
Green
We will be internationally recognised as a leader with outstanding environmental performance and new ‘green’ industries driving economic growth.
We will reduce our carbon emissions, with a network of green infrastructure to reduce energy, water and waste water demands. We will plan for new housing opportunities integrated with vital transport, facilities, infrastructure and open space.
Global
Sydney will remain Australia’s global city and international gateway with world-renowned tourist attractions and sustained investment in cultural infrastructure and facilities.
Our city will contain premium spaces for business activities and high-quality jobs in the city centre and support social, cultural and recreational facilities to attract and retain talent.
We will embrace innovation and new technologies to stimulate creativity and collaboration.
Connected
Central Sydney will be easy to get around with a walking and cycling network, and transit routes connecting our villages, city centre and the rest of inner Sydney. The City’s villages will continue to be strong focal points for community life and will encourage a sense of belonging.
Relative equality will be improved through increased affordable housing and better access to community facilities, programs and services across the local area. Cultural vitality will flow from high rates of participation in artistic expression, performance, events and festivals.
The City will commit to partnerships and cooperation between governments, the private sector and the community to lead change.
Transforming our city 2030 -2050
Our vision is for a sustainable future where everyone does their part to respond to the climate emergency.
We are a leader in our region for just and sustainable growth, creativity and innovation. Our city has a thriving 24-hour economy and opportunities for all.
Social, business, cultural and physical connections in our city help us reach our potential, adapt to change and withstand adversity.
A vision from the heart of our community
We engaged our communities on their vision for Sydney in 2050 over several years. Activities included surveys, pop-up events and community workshops with First Peoples of Australia, small businesses and cultural and nightlife sectors. We also held consultations with children and young people and a citizens jury.
Learn more about how we consulted with our communities for 2050 and what they told us.
Building on our communities vision for the future, there are 10 directions for 2050, 10 targets to measure progress and 10 ambitious project ideas that bring the vision to life.
What 2050 looks like – 10 ambitious project ideas
Our approach – 10 directions for 2050
How we’ll get there – 10 targets to measure progress
- By 2035 we will achieve net zero emissions in the City of Sydney local area.
- By 2050 there will be a minimum overall green cover of 40%, including 27% tree canopy cover.
- By 2030 residential potable water use will be reduced to 170 litres a person a day in the City of Sydney local area. Non-residential potable water use will be reduced by 10% (measured per square metre) from 2018/19 levels.
- By 2030 there will be a 15% reduction in waste generated by each person based on 2015 levels. And by 2030 there will be 90% recycling and recovery of residential waste, commercial and industrial waste, and construction and demolition waste, which will be maintained at that level to 2050.
- By 2036 there will be approximately 700,000 jobs in the City of Sydney local area including 200,000 new jobs compared to 2017 – an increased proportion of all jobs will be secure jobs.
- By 2036 there will be at least 156,000 private dwellings and 17,500 non-private dwellings that include boarding houses and student accommodation. Of the private dwellings, 7.5% will be social housing and 7.5% will be affordable housing with this proportion maintained into the future.
- By 2036 there will be at least 40,000m2 of new cultural production floor space in the City of Sydney local area compared to 2017.
- By 2050 people will use public transport, walk or cycle to travel to and from work. This includes 9 out of 10 people working in the city centre and 2 out of 3 people working in the rest of the local area.
- By 2030 every resident will be around a 10-minute walk to what they need for daily life.
- By 2050 community cohesion and social interaction will have increased. This is based on at least 75% of the local resident population feeling part of the community, agreeing most people can be trusted and believing that when needed, they can get help from their neighbours.
GREEN ROOFS & LIVING WALLS
The City is committed to increasing the number of high quality green roofs and walls in Sydney. In April 2014, the City adopted the green roofs and walls policy – the first of its kind in Australia.
Green roofs and walls provide many environmental and community benefits. They are an integral part of any sustainable city.
Advantages of a green roof or wall
Green roofs and walls provide many benefits to building owners and our city including:
- improved air quality
- beautifying buildings and the cityscape
- supporting local biodiversity
- supporting our physical and mental health
- insulating buildings from heat and noise
- creating new open space for recreation and food growing
- extending roof life by protecting the waterproofing layer from weather and temperature changes
- improving solar panel efficiency
- cooling city temperatures and reducing the urban heat island effect
- slowing and cleaning storm water runoff from buildings.
Help to install a green roof or wall
There are a number of resources to help you build your green roof or wall. If you are researching which general type is right for you, refer to the Design & DA Advice pdf attached below.
The green roofs resource manual contains more detailed information, see pdf's below.
For information on waterproofing for green roofs and walls, take a look at the waterproofing guide pdf below.
If you would like to look at green roof projects that have been completed there are case studies on local sites including:
- Beare Park amenities block
- Surry Hills Library
- Find more projects on this website Project gallery
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Sydney’s natural landscape has changed dramatically and is nearly unrecognisable from its state before the arrival of the First Fleet more than 2 centuries ago.
There has been a huge drop in the number of native trees, plants and flowers with the clearing of forests, filling of swampland and changes to the shoreline, not to mention the construction of buildings, streets and footpaths.
The City wants to reintroduce greenery to our home as part of Sustainable Sydney 2030, our mission to make the local area as green as possible.
The blueprint for improving the local area can be found in Greening Sydney, which is available to download at the end of this page.
Please note: The Greening Sydney plan is a supporting document to our Environmental Action 2016–2021 strategy and action plan, which is the City's most up-to-date set of environmental targets and actions. See pdf attachments below.
