Brisbane’s commitment to boosting its green credentials have seen its 2022 Global Destination Sustainable (GDS) Index score soar by six points to 71 percent, making it Australia’s fastest-growing sustainable city.
According to the worldwide movement to drive sustainable destination management, the River City was ranked across Environmental, Social, Supplier and Destination Management categories, benchmarking the city against global green leaders Gothenburg, Copenhagen and Stockholm.
Brisbane performed strongly across the Social and Destination Management categories and boasted the biggest rank improvement compared to Sydney and Melbourne.
Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) chief executive officer, Anthony Ryan, said being part of the GDS-Index sets a high bar for Brisbane to be a global leader in sustainability.
“We want to be one of the most sustainable destinations in the world and since joining the index in 2019 we’ve continued to improve at a rapid pace,” Ryan said.
“We believe our improved ranking will help attract more people and business to Brisbane, whether that’s attracting eco-conscious travellers to event organisers and purpose-led investors. We see the greatest opportunity with our city’s suppliers and are keen to work with venues, hotels and restaurants to become local leaders in sustainability.
“There are already several Brisbane businesses and venues leading the charge. From Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and Tangalooma Island Resort achieving platinum and gold EarthCheck certification respectively to Howard Smith Wharves’ national accolades for their ingenious sustainability practices.
“We have bold ambitions and would love to see Brisbane rank among the top 30 cities in 2023.”
BEDA will progress its plans in early 2023 with the rollout of a destination eco-certification program for the city with State Government funding support. The program will work towards a globally recognised sustainability certification through EarthCheck for the city, including a roll-out of tourism industry training to assist local businesses on their sustainability journey.
Having made history this year by becoming the first Australian city to be awarded the United Nation Habitat’s Sustainable Development Goals Cuties Global Initiatives Silver Certification, Lord Mayor the city’s green and clean credentials continue to go from strength to strength.
“Brisbane is also committed to hosting the first climate-positive Olympic and Paralympic Games, setting a new global standard in sustainable event management,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.
“With sustainability at our core, Brisbane continues to be a leading city to visit, work and do business.”
