The Victorian Government has launched the new biodiversity plan at the 15th World Congress on Public Health, recognising that a thriving natural environment also sustains the health and wellbeing of people and communities.
Protecting Victoria’s Environment-Biodiversity 2037 aims to significantly increase the number of Victorians spending time in nature, for the benefit of the environment and people alike. This could be for recreational, educational, social, wellbeing, for biodiversity conservation and nature appreciation purposes. The plan highlights the need to create more opportunities to connect people with nature in both regional areas – such as access to national parks – as well as urban neighbourhoods for example via nature-based health and learning projects.
The World Congress on Public Health also saw the launch of the Victorian Memorandum for Health and Nature signed by both the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change and The Hon Jill Hennessy, Minister for Health.
These actions draw attention to the cross-sector collaborations currently underway to improve health, wellbeing and quality of life captured in key documents including Plan Melbourne , Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037 and the Victorian public health and wellbeing plan 2015-19
By working together across sectors, the aim is to create a healthy, more active Melbourne that supports the health and wellbeing of our people.
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