Joint media release: Sydney to host world's first Global Nature Positive Summit

Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
New South Wales Minister for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Heritage Penny Sharpe

The Federal and New South Wales Labor governments today announced that Sydney will be the host for the first Global Nature Positive Summit in early October 2024.

The Summit will bring together delegates from around the world including ministers, environment groups, First Nations peoples, business, scientists and community leaders, to consider how to supercharge investment in projects that repair nature.

The Global Biodiversity Framework agreed to by 196 countries at the United Nations biodiversity conference last year was described as the ‘Paris agreement for nature’. It set a target of US$200 billion per year of funding to be spent on nature repair by 2030.

Protecting and repairing nature is a big job. Government funding plays a critical role, but we can’t do it alone. 

Recognising this, the Summit will focus on three key themes:

• transparency and reporting – you can’t manage what you don’t measure
• investment in nature – growing business demand  
• partnerships and capacity development – increasing landholder participation

The Summit will highlight how clear and consistent rules will enable businesses to invest in and measure projects that repair nature.

Delegates will also consider how to support developing nations, boost First Nations partnership in nature repair and improve policies to increase investment in nature.

More information on the Summit can be found here.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek: 

"Last year, the world came together in support of a nature positive future. That means protecting the places that matter, while also restoring environments that have been damaged in the past.

"Turning the tide like this, from nature destruction to nature repair, will require a mighty global effort. We need government leading way, but we also need the private sector, environmentalists and First Nations groups all pulling in the same direction.

"That’s why we’re convening the Global Nature Positive Summit here in Sydney. We’re bringing the best environmental and financial minds to Australia, to share our expertise, and discuss how we work together to protect this planet for our kids and grandkids".

Quotes attributable to New South Wales Minister for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Heritage Penny Sharpe:

“Australia is a world leader in advocating net zero and nature positive initiatives and we are delighted Sydney has been chosen as the host city for this historic event. 

“The Sydney Summit will attract businesses, environment groups, scientists and government ministers from around the world and put Australia at the centre of this global transformation.”