Measuring sustainability
Learn how council measures and tracks its sustainability performance.
One of the best ways to track performance is by using a set of indicators. Indicators are a useful tool to convey complex concepts in an easy-to-understand way and can provide insights into how we're progressing against our vision and targets. Indicators also help us to understand, discuss and inform decision making, identify efficiencies and help us to better target resources and investment.
Improvements in our sustainability performance also enhances the health, prosperity and liveability of our region, providing an important evidence base for our sustainability credentials.
Environmental sustainability benchmark report
The organisational environmental sustainability benchmarking report provides an annual snapshot of council's environmental sustainability performance over time and is one of the ways council demonstrates its commitment to achieving its vision to be Australia's most sustainable region.
This report sets the baseline against which council can measure its progress and forms the basis to develop other initiatives and future plans, such as an organisational zero net emissions plan.
The benchmarking covers the following areas:
- carbon (greenhouse gas) emissions
- waste
- energy (electricity and renewables)
- fuel
- transport
- water
- environmental sustainability programs
- environmental sustainability embedded into systems and processes.
Zero net emissions
The environment and liveability strategy 2017 sets a clear target for council to be a zero net emissions (ZNE) organisation and for the community to be low carbon by 2041. Being zero net emissions (or carbon neutral) means the net greenhouse gas emissions associated with an organisation's (or local government's) activities are equal to zero.
In addition to understanding our own emissions, council has also commenced the process to measure community greenhouse gas emissions to similarly provide a benchmark and detailed inventory to support future action.
Future performance monitoring opportunities
Region wide sustainability monitoring
On behalf of our community, Sunshine Coast Council has developed a biosphere nomination for the whole local government area. To support a successful nomination, work has commenced to develop a region wide performance framework to measure and track our progress, including our sustainability outcomes achieved across the local government area.