MELBOURNE, A SUSTAINABLE CITY

There are many innovative programs underway, focusing on improving the sustainability of the city and enhancing the delegate experience. Our city’s sustainable practices include transport services, infrastructure, green-city programs and environmental initiatives.

GETTING AROUND THE CITY

Melbourne is a highly connected compact city that offers a range of sustainable transport options for delegates. 

• Walking city: Melbourne is set in a compact grid layout, making it very easy to navigate by foot. The City of Melbourne has developed a series of self-guided walks to help delegates explore the city by foot. 

• Melbourne Bike Share: visitors have access to hire one of 600 bikes at 50 docking stations around the city centre. 

• Free tram zone: Melbourne provides a free tram zone within the city centre making it easy for delegates to move around the city and to and from the Convention Centre. The free City Circle Tram travels the perimeter of the CBD, taking in many of Melbourne's landmarks. View the free tram zone map.

• Car sharing: provide cars on demand, for rent either by the hour or by the day. There are over 350 car share vehicles located in the City of Melbourne with a commitment to 2,000 car share spaces being by 2021. More details, click here.
   

A GREEN CITY

Melbourne is committed to becoming a carbon-neutral city and creating a bold and sustainable future. Such an ambitious goal can only be achieved through collaboration with key stakeholders across Melbourne, including major event and conference organisers to deliver best practice sustainable events in Melbourne.

Some initiatives being implemented by the City of Melbourne include:

• Energy: Melbourne is proud to be part of a local and international movement of cities that will act to reduce emissions and to address climate change impacts. Melbourne consulted with climate change experts and the community to develop a Climate Change Mitigation Strategy to 2050. The strategy aligns to the Paris Climate Agreement and the international effort to stay below a 1.5°C rise in global average temperatures.

• Waste: Remembering a reusable bag when doing the grocery shopping is second nature to most, but there are lots of other ways to reduce single use plastics in the trolley. Consider bringing reusable produce bags, or simply buy your fruit and vegetables loose. Think twice about your favourite snacks if they come individually packaged – often skipping plastic wrapped items is better for your diet too! Many bakeries, delis and butchers have joined the #WarOnWaste so plan ahead with a shopping list and bring enough containers and a bread bag as well.

• Heat: Australia is already experiencing the harsh consequences of global temperatures rising. We need to work together to cool the city and prevent the future we don’t want. Visitors can do their part by limiting use of air conditioning and heating during hotel stays and remembering to switch off lights. Melbourne is adapting the city to climate change and enhancing urban landscapes by integrating soil and vegetation on roofs, walls and facades. This helps cool hot cities, reduce stormwater drainage, provide a layer of soil-like material and plants, help insulate buildings whilst creating social and leisure environments.

• Water: Climate change isn’t just about temperature rise. Water is our life source and we have a responsibility to manage this resource to avoid the negative impacts of drought. In Melbourne we are lucky enough to have some of the world’s best drinking water available straight from the tap. Yet many of us still choose to purchase plastic water bottles. It takes three litres of water to produce just one litre of bottled water. Remember your reusable bottle and choose tap water to keep you hydrated.

• Nature: Step outside and enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that come from being in nature. Whether you’re reading in the park, or going for a hike, there are plenty of ways to reconnect with our beautiful environment. Revitalise yourself in the great outdoors and bring back that spring in your step.

• An Eco-City: Examining many innovative ways to improve the sustainability of the city's stock, reducing carbon emissions, protecting our world-renowned parks and gardens and developing ways to capture, store and reuse stormwater within the city.

• Zero Net Emissions: Melbourne has one of the most ambitious carbon emission reduction targets of any city in the world, with the goal of zero net emissions. This target is for both the local government operations and the entire municipality.

• 1200 Buildings: Encouraging building owners, managers and facility managers to improve their efficiency and reduce waste. The goal is to retrofit two-thirds of the city's 1,800 office buildings with state-of-the-art energy and water technology by 2020.

• Urban Forest strategy: with over 77,000 trees in Melbourne’s parks and gardens, this strategy outlines the city’s approach to managing threats such as drought, climate change, urban growth, with the aim to increase canopy cover from 22% to 40% by 2040.

• Stormwater harvesting: Melbourne’s stormwater harvesting project allows up to 21 million litres of stormwater to be captured annually. This provides the dual benefits of restricting demand on the city's drinking water supplies and reducing pollution into local waterways.

• Learn more

INFRASTRUCTURE

Sustainable practices in construction, design and urban planning are at the forefront of development and infrastructure within the city, with many new developments employing increased sustainable practices and materials.

• Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC): an EarthCheck Gold Certification venue, is one of Victoria's most sustainable meetings venues. MCEC works with organisers to achieve maximum sustainable, recycling and localised sourcing for large-scale business events. Learn more

• AccorHotels - Banksia Sustainability Award winner: The Banksia Awards are the most prestigious and longest-running sustainability awards in Australia rewarding businesses for innovation, achievement and commitment to sustainability. Learn more