Strategic Alignment

Yarra Ranges Council has not formally adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, however we do recognise that there are similarities between them and the work that we are responsible for.

Everything we do at Council can be linked back to our Council Plan, and the five strategic objectives that underpin it:

• Connected and Healthy Communities
• Quality Infrastructure and Liveable Places
• Protected & Enhanced Natural Environment
• Vibrant Economy, Agriculture and Tourism
• High Performing Organisation

These objectives reflect both the priorities that our community put forward during the consultation process for the Council Plan, and the larger issues that face Yarra Ranges over the coming years.

One example of a similarity between the work of Council and the UN’s goals, is how we approach the planning of our townships and communities through our Quality Infrastructure and Liveable Places objective, and the UN’s Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Another example is how our Health and Wellbeing Plan, is similar to Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) in the UN’s goals.

A further example is how our Liveable Climate Plan, is similar to UN’s Goal 13 (Climate Action).

So naturally, given the UN’s goals reflect decades worth of research, and the work that we do is developed using best practice industry standards, there is going to be crossover, as seen above. But there is no formal adoption of these goals by Council.