environmental sustainability
The Ballarat Foundation is committed to improving environmental outcomes through the Environmental Sustainability Fund.
Facing Environmental Challenges Together
Ballarat is confronting several pressing environmental challenges that threaten the health and resilience of our local ecosystems. These include:
Rising rates of waste contamination
Inefficient water conservation and management
The ongoing decline of rural wetlands, driven by climate change and agricultural practices
These environmental issues affect not only our natural landscapes but also the long-term wellbeing and sustainability of our community.
While Ballarat’s per capita carbon emissions, 10.5 t CO₂-e per person, are lower than the Victorian average, they remain more than double the global average. This reflects the combined impact of urbanisation, energy usage and regional development, underscoring the urgent need for climate-conscious action.
Ballarat Vital Signs Report 2025
The Ballarat Vital Signs 2025 report finds that environmental sustainability continues to lag behind other regions, with lower canopy cover, limited green space and slow uptake of renewable energy.
Waste diversion rates remain below the state average, while heat and drying trends are intensifying. Protecting our natural environment is essential to the health and resilience of our region. Local leadership and community action on sustainability, energy and green spaces will shape a more liveable, climate-ready Ballarat.
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Green Our City
Nina FitzSimons, Community Impact Manager, shares insights into how Ballarat is responding to environmental pressures and why protecting our natural surroundings is key.
Our Role in a Greener Future
Our Role in a Greener Future
The Ballarat Foundation is committed to improving environmental outcomes through the Environmental Sustainability Fund. Through this fund, we will soon be offering community grants to support innovative local projects aimed at environmental sustainability.
You can support local solutions for a greener future. Your donation to the Environmental Sustainability Fund helps power community-led projects that preserve our environment, right here in Ballarat.
environmental and sustainability Fund
The Environmental and Sustainability Fund assists local initiatives and programs aimed at environmental sustainability. Donations to this fund will be available in 2026.
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We work on Wadawurrung land
The Ballarat Foundation acknowledges the Wadawurrung people, the traditional owners of the lands and waterways in our region. We recognise their diversity, resilience, and the ongoing place that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people hold in our communities. We pay our respects to the Elders, both past and present, and commit to working together in the spirit of mutual understanding, respect and reconciliation.
The Ballarat Foundation is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive community where everyone is welcomed, respected and empowered to thrive.