title: “Climate & Sustainability — Net Zero, Circular Economy & ESD” council: ballarat state: vic category: strategy status: active last_compiled: 2026-04-13 source_docs:
- city-of-ballarat-net-zero-emissions-plan.txt
- carbon_neutrality_-100pc_renewables_action_plan_final-cob-_1303_2019.txt
- waste-as-a-resource-our-circular-economy-strategy-2024-2028.txt
- state-of-the-environment-report-2023.txt
- environmentally-sustainable-design-policy.txt
- circular-ballarat-framework.txt
Climate & Sustainability — Net Zero, Circular Economy & ESD
Ballarat has an extensive suite of climate and sustainability documents that collectively shape planning outcomes through ESD requirements, energy targets, and circular economy principles. The key documents are the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan (2019), the Net Zero Emissions Plan, the Circular Economy Strategy (2024–2028), the State of the Environment Report (2023), and the ESD Policy for Planning Applications (2023).
Carbon Neutrality and 100% Renewables Action Plan (2019–2025)
Adopted March 2019, this plan sets the pathway for Council’s own corporate emissions to reach zero. It is an internal operations plan — not a community-wide strategy.
Key elements:
- Target: zero net corporate emissions by 2025
- 100% renewable electricity for Council operations (achieved 2022)
- LED streetlighting rollout
- Methane recovery at the landfill
- 300kW solar park at Ballarat Airfield, 780kW methane generator at landfill
- Framework: Avoid → Reduce → Offset → Measure, Report and Improve
Status: Council achieved 100% renewable electricity in 2022 and is progressing toward the corporate carbon neutrality target.
Ballarat Net Zero Emissions Plan (community-wide)
This plan extends the ambition beyond Council operations to the entire municipality.
Target: Aspirational community-wide net zero emissions by 2030 (1.5 million tonnes estimated in 2020).
Five outcome areas:
- Net Zero Business — aggregate renewable energy investment, net zero planning for businesses, local offsetting programs
- Net Zero Homes — improve energy efficiency of existing homes, transition to all-electric houses
- Net Zero New Developments — advocate for higher ESD standards, future-proof new developments
- Net Zero Transport — increase public and active transport use, transition to low/zero emission vehicles
- Net Zero Waste — support circular economy business, sharing services, low-emissions infrastructure
Planning relevance: Outcome 3 (Net Zero New Developments) directly connects to the ESD Policy and the sustainable-subdivision-framework. Outcome 4 connects to the integrated-transport-action-plan.
Circular Economy Strategy 2024–2028 (“Waste as a Resource”)
Adopted 2024, this strategy replaces the Resource Recovery and Waste Management Strategy 2018–22. It aligns with Victoria’s waste management transformation and the waste hierarchy.
Five goals:
- Create less waste
- Increase reuse and recycling
- Deliver circular waste and recycling services
- Protect our environment
- Empower our community
Planning relevance: The strategy connects to the Circular Economy Precinct (CEP) advocacy project in the BNIF documents, which seeks a new materials recovery facility. The circular economy principles also inform the Draft Industrial Land Strategy’s vision for zero-carbon industrial precincts. The Circular Ballarat Framework provides the broader conceptual context.
State of the Environment Report (2023)
Ballarat’s first State of the Environment Report, covering 2022–2023. It serves as a biennial environmental scorecard across eight themes:
- Climate and Atmosphere
- Sustainable Transport
- Clean Energy
- Waste and Circular Economy
- Sustainable Water Use
- Healthy Waterways and Wetlands
- Land and Biodiversity
- Sustainable Development
Key concerns flagged:
- High contamination levels in residential and commercial waste/recycling services
- Rainwater tanks not being used effectively in existing and new homes
- Rural wetlands declining rapidly due to drying climate and agricultural practices
Key positives:
- Large industry becoming more energy efficient
- Planning controls being established for more sustainable homes and subdivisions (referencing ESD Policy and Sustainable Subdivision Framework)
ESD Policy for Planning Applications (2023)
Adopted by Council on 22 March 2023 (R28/23). This is a local planning policy that operationalises the sustainability ambitions through the permit process under Clause 15.01-2S (Building Design).
Thresholds:
| Development type | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 2–9 dwellings | Sustainable Design Assessment using BESS/STORM |
| 10+ dwellings | SDA using BESS/STORM/Green Star/MUSIC + Green Travel Plan |
| Non-residential 300–1,500 sqm | SDA using BESS/STORM |
| Non-residential 1,500+ sqm | SDA using BESS/STORM/Green Star/MUSIC + Green Travel Plan |
| Mixed-use | Apply residential and non-residential thresholds by component |
Review date: 22 March 2027.
This policy is a key implementation tool linking the Net Zero Emissions Plan and the Sustainable Subdivision Framework to permit-level decision-making.
Relationships
- Implements: sustainable-subdivision-framework (at subdivision scale)
- Related: biodiversity-strategy (environmental protection overlay)
- Related: integrated-transport-action-plan (Net Zero Transport outcome)
- Informs: Draft Industrial Land Strategy (circular economy and zero-carbon design)
- Informs: Growth area planning (ESD requirements for new development)
Current Status
| Document | Status |
|---|---|
| Carbon Neutrality Action Plan 2019–2025 | Active (nearing target date) |
| Net Zero Emissions Plan | Active |
| Circular Economy Strategy 2024–2028 | Active |
| State of the Environment Report 2023 | Active (biennial updates) |
| ESD Policy | Active (review due March 2027) |