Blue Mountains News

Presented last night at a ceremony in Sydney, the award acknowledged the Planetary Health Centre’s pioneering Disaster Risk Reduction Project: Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health.

This project, funded from a $1.135 million grant received from the NSW Reconstruction Authority, aimed to “pioneer systemic change” through innovative community water management initiatives, neighbourhood communication platforms, and research and learning activities supporting disaster risk reduction and community resilience. It was successfully delivered as a bioregional collaboration between Blue Mountains Council’s Planetary Health Centre (established May 2024), Western Sydney University’s Lithgow Transformation Hub and Lithgow City Council and identified innovative and more “systemic” ways of mitigating the natural disasters that affect both our local government areas.

In addition to taking out the Innovation Leadership Award, Council was also a finalist in the Environmental Leadership category, with the Blue Mountains Community Towards Net Zero Plan 2024 – 2033.

Local Government Professionals NSW’s annual awards recognise significant achievements of councils.

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said, “Congratulations to everyone involved and to the Council staff and Planetary Health Centre. This Innovative Leadership award celebrates how local government can truly lead and facilitate transformative change for a more sustainable future.

Part of the Disaster Risk Reduction project included the creation of local news sites in six key neighbourhoods, from the Lower Mountains to Lithgow, to share community risk reduction strategies, improve communications and social connections. It also delivered a program of more than 60 learning activities and built an interactive circular water demonstration site at the Centre.

“A finalist in its category, the Towards Net Zero Plan gives the Blue Mountains a community-led roadmap for reducing harmful emissions, better protecting our natural environment for the future. Congratulations to all involved – community and Council staff - who worked with such passion on this critically important project.”

Council’s Community Towards Net Zero Plan maps out a clear pathway for the Blue Mountains to transition towards a net zero emissions community. It identifies concrete actions for everyone to reduce emissions, including Council, businesses, community groups, schools, households and individuals.

Find out more at: bmcc

And bluemountainsplanetaryhealth