Council's green commitment

Brisbane City Council is doing business in a more sustainable way and providing opportunities for residents, businesses and not-for-profit organisations to reduce their carbon footprint. 

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Green and biodiverse city

Target 40

Council has a target to achieve 40% natural habitat cover on mainland Brisbane by 2031. Natural habitat is a collective term for all of the native vegetation communities across Brisbane, at all levels of maturity and condition.

The Queensland Herbarium recently mapped the 2019 extent of natural habitat across mainland Brisbane. Based on the current mapping, the 2019 reported extent of natural habitat cover across mainland Brisbane was 38.9%. Approximately 1200 hectares need to be reinstated across Brisbane over the next ten years to achieve Brisbane's target.

Water smart trees

Council has recently received funding from the federal government to work together with South East Queensland Catchments to plant 100 water smart street trees, between 2014 and 2018. Find out more information.

Bushland cover

Council is buying and protecting bushland and working towards increasing Brisbane's bushland cover.

2 Million Trees Project

Council planted over two million trees in the Brisbane area between 2008 and 2012.

Environment and sustainability grants

Council offers a range of environment and sustainability related grants for community groups, non-profit organisations and individuals under the Lord Mayor's Community Sustainability and Environmental Grants Program.

Wildlife Conservation Partnerships - Land for Wildlife

Private property owners can receive help and advice on revegetation, local flora and fauna species and how to conserve and restore wildlife habitat on their land.

Environment centres

Brisbane's environment centres offer the community a range of educational programs and activities.

Creek Catchments

Council officers work with community groups across Brisbane to protect and restore catchments and waterways.

Habitat Brisbane

Council helps community groups restore natural habitats in parks, bushland, wetlands and along waterways.

Community Conservation Assistance (CCA)

Community Conservation Assistance (CCA) is available to individuals and groups to deliver on-ground works within priority biodiversity areas for projects that otherwise would be difficult for community groups to undertake.

Reducing the impact of infrastructure

Council is taking steps to manage the impact of infrastructure on our environment through projects such as the 100 kW solar installation on the Brisbane Powerhouse, and five star green rating buildings such as Brisbane Square and Green Square.

Warm mix asphalt green system

Council uses the 'warm mix asphalt green system' to reduce the production temperature of asphalt. Given that Council uses on average 330,000 tonnes of asphalt annually, this translates to significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Further reductions will be achieved in the future with ongoing customer acceptance and specification of warm mix asphalt at even lower production temperatures.

Waste benefits

Council has signed an agreement for the recycling of its bus fleet waste oil. The waste oil is transported for treatment initially to Wacol then to Gladstone where it is re-refined to a base oil for later use as lubrication oil for the automotive, transport, mining and agricultural sectors, thus reducing the need for virgin oil imports. Re-refining waste oil releases fewer carbon emissions than burning it, which is better for the environment. 

Brisbane Green Buildings Incentive

To encourage well-designed, green and energy efficient buildings in Brisbane, Council offers a financial payment equivalent to 50 per cent of infrastructure charges paid on eligible residential and commercial developments. Find out if your project is eligible.

Strategies and achievements

Brisbane. Clean, Green, Sustainable 2017-2031

Brisbane. Clean, Green, Sustainable 2017-2031 highlights our city's key sustainability achievements and outlines future targets and commitments to drive us towards a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city.

WaterSmart Strategy

The goal of the WaterSmart Strategy is to make Brisbane a water smart city, to support the liveability of our city by managing water sustainably. 

Low Carbon Council

Council is taking real and practical action to lower our carbon footprint and has set targets to reduce our operational carbon emissions by at least 30% by 2031-32 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. 

Brisbane Sustainability Agency

Brisbane Sustainability Agency was created by Brisbane City Council as a dedicated sustainability agency for the city and is the first organisation of its kind in Australia. Brisbane Sustainability Agency is working tomake Brisbane our nation’s most sustainable city bydelivering sustainability programs and initiatives for Brisbane, including;

  • the continued delivery of the Oxley Creek Transformation project, Council’s $100 million commitment to transform the Oxley Creek corridor into a world-class green lifestyle and leisure destination
  • one of Australia’s largest sustainable living festivals, the Green Heart Fair
  • the Resilient Clubs Support Program, helping Brisbane clubs become more energy and water efficient to reduce operational costs
  • reducing Brisbane’s household carbon footprint while reducing the impacts of climate change and saving money through the Brisbane Carbon Challenge.

Visit Brisbane Sustainability Agency to see more of our sustainability initiatives.

Other projects

Street lights

Brisbane is now cleaner and greener with 25,000 mercury vapour lights replaced by energy saving bulbs in suburban streets around the city. This $9 million project has made our streets brighter, safer and more energy efficient. 

The new lights have resulted in some 500,000 in savings on Council’s annual electricity bill. The reduction in energy use is equivalent to 2100 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions or taking around 550 cars off the road annually.

Council partnered with Energex on this project, which completed the retrofit program. The project was funded through a $4.5 million grant from the Australian Government with Council funding the other $4.5 million. 

Find out about the LED Street Lights Trial.

Earth Hour

Council supports Earth Hour each year by switching off lights at a number of Council buildings and landmarks across the city. Find out more information, including teaching materials and resources on the Earth Hour website. 

Improving sustainability at our bus depots

Find out about the sustainability features of Council's bus depots at Willawong, Sherwood and Eagle Farm.

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Brisbane City Council acknowledges this Country and its Traditional Custodians. We pay our respects to the Elders, those who have passed into the Dreaming; those here today; those of tomorrow.