Partnership paves the way for sustainable future

Titled A Call for Joint Action to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: Advancing Integrated Solutions to Accelerate Change, the summit was held at UN headquarters from September 25 to 27. Mr Pickard said it was an opportunity to showcase the City and its sustainability credentials |and “provided a platform to focus |international attention on the good work of Joondalup”. HERE is an extract of the speech Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard delivered as part of the session titled Mainstreaming Biodiversity: Restoring and Sustaining Healthy Ecosystems for People and Planet. Environmental objectives cannot be achieved through the actions of cities alone and the City of Joondalup implements programs, policies and strategies in partnership with other spheres of government, stakeholders and importantly the community, to ensure the long-term protection of the natural environment. Ongoing collaboration between governments, citizens and environmental organisations is essential to advancing solutions that address key threats to global biodiversity in order to safeguard cultural and natural heritage. The City of Joondalup joined ICLEI’s (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Local Action for Biodiversity Program in 2006. Participation in the program, including progression through the milestone framework, has facilitated the sharing of knowledge with like-minded cities from around the world. The City of Joondalup places a large emphasis on connecting local people with local environmental issues. The City has developed an ongoing program, the Think Green Environmental Education Program, which incorporates a range of initiatives to address key issues whilst encouraging greater environmental stewardship within the local community and has been fundamental in increasing knowledge and appreciation of the environment within our community. Together with establishing strong and lasting partnerships, there is a need to align global and national objectives for biodiversity conservation with local priorities. The development of effective mechanisms for collaboration between spheres of Government and civil society and increased funding for the implementation of successful programs such as ICLEI’s Local Action for Biodiversity Program and the City of Joondalup’s Think Green Environmental Education Program, is also essential to accelerating biodiversity conservation at the local level and achievement of the 2030 sustainable development goals. Carpe diem. Let’s seize the day.