Sustainability strategies and frameworks
Strategies and frameworks that inform our decision making and other activities in sustainable finance.
NSW climate and environmental strategies and frameworks
The climate is changing due to global warming. The effects of climate change on the people and environment of NSW will become more pronounced as the climate continues to change over this century.
These are the main current NSW-led actions that relate to the environment. Many entities are taking a climate-first focus, because this is an urgent challenge that is already having significant impacts and has implications for many other Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations.
Biodiversity conservation policies and guidelines – Managing biodiversity, assessing impacts and tracking activities to protect the environment. A statutory review of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 was conducted in 2023 to determine whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and whether the terms remain appropriate for securing those objectives.
Blue Carbon Strategy – Restoring coastal diversity and ecosystems.
Circular Economy Policy – New ways to think about waste.
Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap – Building on the state’s electricity strategy. It will attract more than $30 billion of private investment in regional energy infrastructure by 2030.
EPA Climate Change Action Plan 2023-26 – The action plan describes how the NSW Environment Protection Authority will deliver on the objectives of the Climate Change Policy.
EPA Climate Change Policy – The NSW Environment Protection Authority’s policy for addressing climate change and protecting the environment.
Future Transport Strategy – Connecting people, communities and businesses in NSW.
Government Resource Efficiency Policy – Lead by example in increasing the efficiency of the government’s resource use.
Hydrogen Strategy – Sets out our vision and path for developing a thriving green hydrogen industry in NSW
Net Zero Cities Action Plan – Net zero emissions in our cities and urban environments.
NSW Budget Papers – Insight into our financials, services and key performance indicators.
NSW Budget Paper 1 – Our sustainable approach to managing our assets and liabilities.
NSW Electricity Supply and Reliability Check Up – An independent check up to identify any additional steps that NSW needs to take to deliver the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap to ensure a reliable supply of clean, affordable energy.
NSW Intergenerational Report – A snapshot of our future State.
NSW State of the Environment report – Key environmental issues facing New South Wales.
NSW Transmission Infrastructure Strategy – Unlocking private sector investment in priority energy projects.
Primary Industries Productivity and Abatement Program (PIPAP) – Support for farmers to access environmental markets, reduce emissions and enhance biodiversity.
State Disaster Mitigation Plan 2024-26 – The plan supports the NSW Government’s commitment to making our communities safer, more resilient, and better prepared to face the challenges of disasters caused by natural hazards.
State Infrastructure Strategy – This 20-year infrastructure investment plan includes a long-term objective to achieve an orderly and efficient transition to net zero.
Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy – This strategy reflects the NSW Government’s commitment to playing its part in helping the state transition to a circular economy over the next 20 years.
NSW strategies and frameworks – Building a better society
The NSW government is committed to ensuring everyone in the state has access to the opportunities they need to build a high standard of living for themselves and their families.
This includes access to economic opportunities and high-quality government services, and additional support for vulnerable members of society.
A 20-Year Economic Vision for Regional NSW – Refresh – Our priorities and plans to achieve long-term social and economic success for regional communities.
Aboriginal Affairs Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027 – Provides a clear picture of Aboriginal Affairs NSW strategic agenda over the next four years in working toward advancement for Aboriginal people
Aboriginal Procurement Policy – Helping to grow NSW’s First Economy.
Combatting modern slavery – NSW was the first Australian state or territory to introduce standalone legislation to address modern slavery, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW).
Gender Equality Budget Statement – Budget commitments to boost economic opportunities for women.
Housing 2041 – A whole-of-government approach that establishes a 20-year vision for the people of NSW. It sets a long-term strategy for better housing outcomes, focusing on supply, affordability, diversity and resilience.
Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program – Addressing skills shortages and diversity in the construction sector.
NSW Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap 2022-2024 – Our plan to achieve the commitments of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
NSW Women’s Strategy – The NSW Women’s Strategy provides a whole-of-government and whole-of-community policy framework. It aims to help improve the economic, social and physical wellbeing of women and girls across NSW.
Small and Medium Enterprise and Regional Procurement Policy – Opportunities for small and medium businesses.
Social Impact Investment Policy 2.0 – The Social Impact Investment Policy sets the vision for social impact investment in NSW. It outlines priorities for embedding prevention, innovation, partnerships and an outcomes-focus at the heart of how the NSW Government delivers impact for the people of NSW.
NSW strategies and frameworks – Ensuring robust governance
For the NSW Government, robust governance includes:
- quality institutional structures that enable effective policy decisions and predictability of government decisions
- government policy credibility and effectiveness
- transparency and disclosure of government information
- sound fiscal and economic management.
NSW Treasury Annual Reporting Framework – Government agencies are accountable to the parliament and the community for the way they use public resources. Annual reports uphold this accountability. They help inform decisions and provide a valuable record of past decisions.
Public interest disclosure policy – This policy encourages government employees to report serious wrongdoing.
Fraud and Corruption Policy – Describes the rules and systems used to prevent fraud. It covers NSW Government staff, contractors or members of the public.
Climate-related financial disclosures for NSW public sector organisations
Reporting on climate shows that an organisation is committed to being transparent and accountable. It also provides information for investors, policy makers and the community to support decision making.
We're committed to being transparent about how the government is managing climate related risks and opportunities. From the 2024 - 25 financial year NSW government entities will disclose climate-related risks and opportunities. Our commitments to transparent disclosures will attract investment and drive action on accountability across the public sector.
In 2022, three NSW Government entities – the Environment Protection Authority, National Parks and Wildlife Services and Essential Energy – were some of the first public sector entities in the world to disclose information about their climate risks. They used the NSW Climate Risk Ready Guide, which follows the globally recognised Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework.
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Key legislative measures
The NSW Government is governed under a body of legislative measures. These measures help ensure we make appropriate decisions and provide certainty over government objectives.
Acts administered by the EPA – The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is the state's primary environmental regulator. It has responsibilities and functions under various NSW legislation.
Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 – The Act legislates emissions reduction targets in NSW and establishes an independent Net Zero Commission.
Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 – This Act contains several objectives including encouraging investment in renewable energy projects in NSW.
Energy Security Safeguard – The Energy Security Safeguard provides financial incentives to deliver cost-effective energy savings, reduce peak electricity demand and increase the production of green hydrogen.
Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012 – An Act relating to fiscal responsibility in the management of government finances.
Government Sector Employment Act – A framework for government employment and workforce management. It aims to support a workforce characterised by a culture of integrity, trust, service and accountability.
Government Sector Finance Act 2018 – A framework for financial management in the government sector.
Modern Slavery Act – The Modern Slavery Act 2018 aims to combat modern slavery, provide assistance and support for victims.
NSW Climate Change Fund – We established the NSW Climate Change Fund to support communities, businesses and governments to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.
NSW planning policy and legislation – Planning policy and legislation, including state environmental planning, renewable energy and land use.
Sustainable Buildings SEPP (State Environmental Planning Policy) – The SEPP sets sustainability standards for residential and non-residential development and starts the process of measuring and reporting on the embodied emissions of construction materials.