Nature positive roadmap

Timeline of the changing context

1999

EPBC Act established ▼

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act became Australia’s central piece of national environmental legislation, governing the assessment of developments that may impact matters of national environmental significance.

2016

NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act introduced ▼

New South Wales reformed its biodiversity legislation, introducing the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme and new assessment frameworks for development impacts on nature.

▼ GBCA GBCA’s Building with Nature paper released

GBCA published its first Building with Nature paper, establishing the case for integrating nature into the built environment and laying the groundwork for nature-positive certification.

2018

GBCA Green Star Future Focus program announced with a focus on nature ▼

The Green Star Future Focus scoping paper signalled GBCA’s intent to embed nature outcomes into rating tools, foreshadowing the Nature category in Green Star Buildings.

▼ GBCA Green Star Buildings released with new Nature category

Green Star Buildings introduced a dedicated Nature category, embedding biodiversity outcomes into building certification for the first time.

2020

Independent Review of the EPBC Act (Samuel Review) ▼

The independent review found Australia’s national environmental law was inadequate and not fit for purpose.

The environment is in an unsustainable state of decline
Compliance and enforcement are inadequate
Offsetting schemes are not delivering outcomes
An independent regulator with strong enforcement powers is needed

IPBES’s Global Assessment for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services ▼

The landmark IPBES assessment found nature is declining at unprecedented rates, identifying five primary drivers of biodiversity loss.

Land and sea-use change — deforestation, mining, urban development
Climate change — disrupts habitats, drives species migration
Pollution — air, waste, noise, vibration and light
Exploitation — extraction of timber, minerals and steel
Invasive species — threaten native ecosystems

1M species at risk 75% land altered 66% oceans impacted

▼ TNFD formally launched

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures was established to develop a disclosure framework built on four pillars: governance, strategy, risk management, and targets.

The LEAP framework (Locate, Evaluate, Assess, Prepare) provides a consistent approach for nature-related due diligence.

2021

State of the Environment Report published ▼

Australia’s environment is in poor and deteriorating condition across many indicators.

8% increase in species listed as threatened since 2016
20% increase in threatened ecological communities
Urban expansion continuing to deplete ecosystems near cities

1,643 threatened species 89% cities with threatened species

▼ Australian Government releases Nature Positive Plan

The Australian Government released its Nature Positive Plan, outlining national priorities for halting and reversing biodiversity loss aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework.

2022

Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted ▼

Adopted at COP15, this landmark agreement set the goal of halting and reversing nature loss by 2030, with full recovery by 2050.

Target 1: Spatial planning to bring biodiversity loss close to zero
Target 2: 30% of degraded ecosystems under restoration
Target 3: 30% of land and ocean protected (30x30)
Target 15: Businesses to assess and disclose nature-related risks

196 countries signed 23 targets 30x30 goal

▼ GBCA Building with Nature 2.0 released

GBCA published Building with Nature 2.0, establishing the foundational analysis that informed the Nature Positive Roadmap.

2023

Nature Repair Act passed ▼

Australia passed the Nature Repair Act to create a market for biodiversity certificates. The PLANR tool provides site-specific natural asset snapshots.

▼ GBCA GBCA’s Nature Positive Roadmap discussion paper released

GBCA released a discussion paper proposing a nature positive roadmap framework for the built environment, informed by deep industry engagement.

▼ GBCA Green Star Communities v2 introduced Nature Positive Pathway

Green Star Communities v2 introduced a Nature Positive Pathway, embedding biodiversity outcomes into community-scale certification.

2024

GBCA GBCA supply chain discussion paper released ▼

GBCA published a supply chain discussion paper examining nature impacts across building materials and procurement.

Circular Economy Framework developed ▼

The Circular Economy Framework found Australia’s circularity rate is just 4.4%.

Housing and transport contribute 53% of Australia’s materials footprint
A circularity rate of 32% is achievable with existing technology

4.4% circularity 32% achievable

▼ GBCA Draft Nature Positive Roadmap released

GBCA released the draft Nature Positive Roadmap for consultation, setting time-bound targets across five principles to align new developments with national and international nature-positive goals.

▼ Nature Repair Market operational

The Nature Repair Market became operational, enabling trading of biodiversity certificates to incentivise nature restoration on private and public land.

2025

GBCA Green Star Buildings v1.1 introduced Nature Positive Pathway ▼

Green Star Buildings v1.1 introduced a Nature Positive Pathway with biodiversity net gain requirements and credits for First Nations involvement.

Nature Positive Pathway

EPBC reform bills passed, NEPA and EIA established, Biodiversity data repository launched ▼

EPBC Reform Bills established an independent EPA, national environmental standards, and reformed offsetting. The Nature Repair Market became operational.

Independent EPA Nature Repair Market live

ISSB announces incorporation of TNFD guidance into IFRS Sustainability Disclosure ▼

The International Sustainability Standards Board announced it would incorporate TNFD guidance into IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, signalling that nature-related risks will become part of mainstream financial reporting.

Challenge & Response

From barriers to principles

The built environment faces deep systemic challenges. This roadmap responds to each with a clear principle for action. Click any item to explore the detail.

The Challenges

The Response — Five Principles

Weak & Fragmented Regulation

Inconsistent policy and enforcement undermine confidence and fail to prevent cumulative nature loss.

Prevent Nature Loss

Important biodiversity and ecosystems onsite and in surrounding areas are protected from development, preventing further nature loss and cumulative impacts.

Intensifying Urban Development

Growth continues to lock in permanent ecological loss where nature is treated as a constraint, not an asset.

Increase & Connect Nature

Biodiversity values are enhanced onsite by restoring and establishing connected habitats that support wildlife movement, ecosystem function and ecological integrity.

Low Circularity Rate

Linear material use and barriers to building reuse and increased density drive ongoing habitat loss and pollution.

Drive Circularity

The built environment shifts to circular practices that prioritise reuse, efficiency and increased density, reducing material extraction, pollution and ecosystem degradation across the value chain.

Impacts from Resource Use

Rising demand leads to increased raw material extraction and over-exploitation of resources, intensifying ecosystem stress.

Choose Low-Impact Materials

Nature-related impacts from materials are minimised through informed selection, transparency and traceability, supporting responsible sourcing and reducing hidden ecological harm.

Underinvestment in Nature

Financial systems continue to reward nature-degrading activity while the importance of natural systems remains undervalued.

Invest in Nature

Ecosystems are protected, restored and regenerated through targeted investment in nature, delivering long-term environmental, social and economic benefits.

System Gaps & Opportunities

System-wide gaps limit the built environment's ability to respond effectively to nature loss. Strengthening data, knowledge and decision-making is essential to enable better outcomes for nature and communities.

Supported by System-wide Enablers

The roadmap identifies three key enablers, from embedding connection to country, to building industry capability, that are essential to the successful implementation of the principles. See more below

The Roadmap

Targets & pathways

The roadmap sets time-bound, measurable targets across five principles. Click any principle to see more information.

Aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Scroll horizontally to see all time periods

Principles

TodayAustralia adopts Global Biodiversity Commitments

In the Next 5 Years

2028Show actions

2030Halt and reverse nature loss by 2030

2035

2050Live in harmony with nature by 2050

Define and benchmarkEstablish methods & standards

Voluntary markets and actionEmbed into policy & planning

Policy and advocacyDeliver on the ground

1 Prevent Nature Loss

Planning requires no net loss of high value biodiversity.

Define ‘unacceptable impacts’

Standardise measurement & reporting

Define & map significant natural systems

Support Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship

Implement mitigation hierarchy

Integrate nature protection into planning systems

Measure and report onsite biodiversity values.

Prioritise onsite protection to achieve no net loss of high value biodiversity, with restoration for residual impacts.

No onsite loss of moderate value biodiversity.

2 Increase & Connect Nature

Construction-related impacts are minimised through planning.

Standardise biodiversity net gain methodology

Bird’s-eye ecological assessment

Indigenous-led conservation

Advocate for BNG in procurement and design briefs

Ecological connectivity in planning

Integrate net gain into planning

Incentivise urban and regional restoration

Measure and report onsite biodiversity values.

Deliver at least 10% biodiversity net gain, prioritising onsite gains.

Consider additional net gains over time, with greater weighting on onsite actions.

3 Drive Circularity

Australia’s economic circularity rate is 4.4%, global average of 7.5%.

Define & measure circularity

Track & disclose material flows

Support circular supply chains

Prioritise circular economy outcomes

Embed circularity in codes

De-risk circular procurement

Measure the built environment’s circularity rate.

Achieve a 7.5% circularity rate across the built environment supported by reuse-first policies.

Achieve a 15% circularity rate across the built environment through efficient density planning.

Additional circularity rate increase will be proposed.

Project-level circularity rate is unknown.

Measure and benchmark project level circularity.

Achieve a 10% improvement in project-level circularity.

Achieve a 20% improvement in project level circularity.

Additional circularity rate increase will be proposed.

4 Choose Low-Impact Materials

Illegally harvested timber is prohibited in the supply chain.

Set material-specific targets

Improve supply chain transparency

Promote local & regenerative materials

Engage with product manufacturers

Embed nature impact in procurement

Phase out high-risk materials

Measure nature impacts of the top 10 materials and develop management plans.

Implement nature impact management plans for top 10 materials.

Manufacturers of the top 10 materials must set biodiversity net gain targets.

All nature-related supply chain impacts are eliminated or fully compensated.

5 Invest in Nature

National nature repair mechanisms are emerging, following the introduction of the Nature Repair Market.

Define methodology for calculating nature impact

Define eligible investment types

Align investment with local priorities

Build integrity into the Nature Repair Market

Invest in Indigenous businesses

Investment requirements into procurement & planning

Advocate for restoration outcome reporting

Measure and transparently disclose nature-related financial spend.

Invest in nature restoration to address Scope 3 impacts in large developments and infrastructure projects.

Investment in nature restoration is standard practice across all projects.

🌐 Enabled by: Embedding culture and connection to Country | Strengthening data, metrics and decision making | Building industry capability

Prevent Nature Loss

Increase & Connect

Drive Circularity

Low-Impact Materials

Invest in Nature

Current baseline

Enablers of Success

Supported by system-wide enablers

The roadmap identifies three key enablers, from embedding connection to country, to building industry capability, that are essential to the successful implementation of the principles. They strengthen the knowledge systems, evidence base and industry capability needed to support better decision-making and deliver improved outcomes for nature across all actions.

Embed culture and connection to Country

Nature outcomes are strengthened when development is grounded in Country and shaped through genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Explore

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples possess a deep connection with Country, a term transcending physical land to encompass spiritual, cultural, and emotional ties.

The knowledge of land and waters gained through thousands of years of observation and caring for Country is a unique and important way to understand and respond to many environmental challenges facing Australia now, and into the future. This includes climate change and nature loss. It provides a localised context that can contribute to the development of a built environment that also achieves a range of community benefits.

Nature is an integral part of caring for and connecting with Country which is expressed through cultural practices. Maintaining these connections within the built environment therefore becomes an essential way of not only preserving the environment but also maintaining continuity of culture and identity. Early and ongoing engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples is fundamental to this.

Nature has always played an important role in culture and community. There are 370 million recorded Indigenous people in the world. While they make up only 5% of the world's population, they manage 18% of the land, and there are claims for more. Much of these areas are in biodiversity hotspots. As custodians of nature, Indigenous people play a critical role in conservation and leading place-based solutions that contribute to nature positive outcomes.

Supporting delivery of the roadmap

The role of Indigenous communities is a key part of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.

The roadmap recognises culture, community and connection to Country as an essential enabler for delivering the principles and targets. This includes:

Respectful engagement with First Nations communities
Support for place-based approaches led by Traditional Owners and Custodians
Ensuring connection to Country is a core consideration in planning, design, and delivery
Valuing cultural knowledge alongside ecological and technical expertise
Building respectful partnerships and centering Country-led approaches are not only essential for justice and equity – they are key to regenerating and protecting nature

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

TARGET 11: Restore, Maintain and Enhance Nature's Contributions to People

TARGET 12: Enhance Green Spaces and Urban Planning for Human Well-Being and Biodiversity

TARGET 22: Ensure Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice and Information Related to Biodiversity for All

Strengthen data, metrics and decision-making

Nature outcomes are enabled through robust ecological data, consistent metrics and integrated decision-making across the built environment.

Explore

Standardised, credible, decision-useful data underpins global standards that enable companies and financial institutions to report and act on nature-related risks and opportunities.

Nature related measurement and data assist in helping value nature, thus bringing its protection and regeneration into key business decisions.

TNFD highlights the importance of improving data access and organisational capability, including consistent terminology and spatial data on the location and extent of impacts.

Natural Capital Accounting is an economic-environmental accounting framework that seeks to value the tangible and intangible values nature provides in the form of ecosystem services (clean air, freshwater, food and fibre), as well as for cultural and spiritual values, essential for human health and wellbeing.

Incorporating this into decision making helps in understanding the risks and dependencies developments and business have on nature.

While the complexity of nature is noted, methodologies are evolving to understand and reflect these interdependencies, and establish standardised measurement collection and reporting.

Supporting delivery of the roadmap

To support this, Australia has established Environment Information Australia, whose remit it is to improve environmental information, data and reporting.

Australia's Strategy for Nature also reinforces this, with platforms such as the National Vegetation Information System and the Atlas of Living Australia available to assist in identifying a site's biodiversity values.

PLANR was developed by the Australian Government to support the Nature Repair Bill. It provides landowners with a site-specific snapshot of natural assets, with growing granularity. Tools like this show promise for better integrating nature into planning and design decisions in the built environment.

Global alignment in these methodologies is noted. This is why efforts by the Nature Positive Initiative (NPI), World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Capitals Coalition (CapsCo), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and World Resources Institute (WRI) to develop a Nature Measurement Protocol are welcomed.

Coupled with onsite ecological observations, and First Nations knowledge, this roadmap and its targets is placing the value of nature at the centre of decision making for new developments.

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

TARGET 14: Integrate Biodiversity in Decision-Making at Every Level

TARGET 21: Ensure That Knowledge Is Available and Accessible To Guide Biodiversity Action

Build industry capability

Industry capability is strengthened through improved ecological literacy, education and collaboration across the built environment sector and its supply chains.

Explore

Nature-positive outcomes require new ways of thinking and working across the built environment. Designers, planners, engineers, developers and suppliers all play a role in integrating nature into projects and decision-making.

Building industry capacity involves strengthening ecological literacy, supporting cultural competency and expanding knowledge of practical approaches that enhance biodiversity outcomes. This includes integrating nature into design briefs, restoring landscapes and habitats, applying circular economy principles and sourcing lower-impact materials.

Industry learning and collaboration will be critical. Pilot projects, demonstration initiatives and knowledge sharing can help test new approaches and accelerate adoption across the sector.

Capacity building must also extend across supply chains. Engaging manufacturers and material suppliers can support the development of innovative products and practices that reduce nature impacts and support circularity.

Over time, strengthening knowledge and skills across the industry will enable more consistent implementation of the roadmap's principles and support better outcomes for nature, communities and the built environment.

Key focus areas

Strengthening ecological literacy across project teams
Supporting cultural competency and First Nations engagement
Integrating nature into design briefs and procurement
Pilot projects and demonstration initiatives
Knowledge sharing to accelerate sector-wide adoption
Engaging supply chains in circular and low-impact practices

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

TARGET 16: Enable Sustainable Consumption Choices To Reduce Waste and Overconsumption

TARGET 20: Strengthen Capacity-Building, Technology Transfer, and Scientific and Technical Cooperation for Biodiversity

TARGET 21: Ensure That Knowledge Is Available and Accessible To Guide Biodiversity Action

TARGET 22: Ensure Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice and Information Related to Biodiversity for All

Green Star

Green Star’s role in driving nature-positive outcomes

As part of Future Focus, the rating system improved on its previous version by introducing a comprehensive ‘Nature’ category. This category allows GBCA to build on this work by introducing a Nature Positive Pathway that builds on its nature-related minimum expectations.

Green Star Buildings

Since its release, the rating tool included five credits in the Nature category, and several that reward lower impact materials in the Responsible category. It also introduced a new credit to recognise First Nations involvement in projects.

The update to v1.1 goes further, establishing a Nature Positive Pathway that aims to drive industry to put nature at the heart of development. In practice this means that:

Buildings that register for a 6 Star rating must achieve a 10% biodiversity net gain. In addition, nature-related impacts will need to be reported to achieve a rating.
From 2028, the 10% net gain requirement will apply to buildings registering for a 5 Star rating.
From 2030, this will apply to buildings registering for a 4 Star rating.

A new credit ‘Design for Circularity’ has been introduced in the Positive category, aiming to help industry quantify its circularity rate, and improve it over time.

Green Star Communities v2

A significant upgrade to its predecessor, this rating tool, released in February 2025, features a significant focus on reducing nature-related impacts, and encouraging opportunities for positive outcomes.

The rating tool features a Nature category, which includes seven new nature-related credits. In addition, it includes requirements for upfront carbon reductions, and rewards low-impact materials. It also recognises the role of First Nations Peoples, with credits that embed cultural leadership and ensure that connection to Country is integrated into planning, design, and long-term management.

Furthermore, this rating tool includes a Nature Positive Pathway. The requirement changes depend on whether the precinct is on greenfield land or is an urban redevelopment. As a minimum:

From 2027, projects that register for a 6 Star rating need to achieve a significant biodiversity net gain. 5 Star rated projects will need to show no net loss.
From 2030, these requirements change, with 5 Star projects needing to show at least 10% net gain, and 4 Star projects needing to show no net loss.
From 2033, all projects would need to show at least a 10% net gain.

Note: two additional Leadership Challenges will be released for Green Star Communities v2.

Green Star Fitouts

As nature-related site impacts are limited in this rating tool, the focus shifts strongly towards circularity. This rating tool features a new Circular category. The introduction of this category responds to the significant waste impact from fitout churn.

It aims to both encourage reduction of waste at the end of the fitout, and to drive industry to adopt better design solutions and procurement practices at the design phase.

Responsible Products Framework

Part of all Green Star rating tools, the Responsible Products Framework defines the qualities that products assessed by independent initiatives, such as ecolabels, must comply with.

Currently in development, version B of the framework will include new nature-related and circular-related criteria to encourage the recognition of products that deliver nature-positive outcomes.

Release of version B of the Framework is expected in 3rd quarter 2026, with initiatives expected to transition at some point in 2028.

Pathway targets for this rating tool are integrated across the Buildings and Communities pathways above.

Take Action

What can you do now?

Every stakeholder has a role to play in contributing to nature positive outcomes for new developments.

Get involved as we embed these requirements over time:

Co-create with First Nations and community to develop designs and solutions that celebrate nature, create positive places, and generate economic opportunities including for First Nations Peoples.
Support government in making changes to policy, codes, and standards that drive nature protection and regeneration.
Help create the market for circular, low-impact products that deliver better outcomes for nature and people.
Share knowledge, upskill teams, and partner with us to deliver new services and approaches that accelerate industry transformation.
Get your projects certified with Green Star to build capability in industry and contribute directly to nature positive outcomes.

Government

Policy and investment actions to drive nature positive outcomes

Implement nature reforms that better protect nature while providing greater clarity to industry on protection and regeneration actions.
Limit the need for additional land clearing by increasing density limits.
Invest in and support low-impact and circular product manufacturing.
Support the expansion of investments benefiting nature through the Nature Repair Market.
Commit government-led and funded projects to achieving biodiversity net gains at scale, verify with Green Star and build industry capacity.

Developers

Design, build, and invest with nature at the centre

Define and map high-value biodiversity onsite and set biodiversity net gain as a goal that informs your designs.
Work with First Nations and community to incorporate Designing with Country principles and encourage connections to nature.
Incorporate circularity into design to minimise your project's footprint on nature, and measure and report on this.
Direct project spend towards nature-based solutions and work with the supply chain to reduce nature impacts and increase circularity.

Manufacturers

Reduce impacts across operations and product life cycles

Define and map biodiversity values across your operations and product life cycles.
Develop and implement plans to limit and reduce impacts, particularly during material extraction and manufacture.
Set biodiversity net gain targets and invest in nature to compensate for impacts.
Increase traceability by disclosing the origin of raw materials and any impacts in compliance with environmental and human rights standards.
Work with local communities to increase locally sourced materials and support community capacity building.

Finance sector

Align investments with nature positive goals

Identify, map, and build internal capacity to measure nature-related risks, dependencies, and opportunities across operations and investment decisions.
Develop policies, strategies, and plans to transition away from investments that harm nature in favour of those that restore it.
Encourage the use of high-quality certification such as Green Star for buildings, precincts, and fitouts.
Engage with customers, suppliers, and businesses with high nature-related risks and impacts.
Report and disclose implemented actions and progress towards targets.

Nature positive roadmap for the built environmentTrajectories for new developments

A framework for contributing to nature positive goals

Download the roadmap

Timeline of the changing context

From barriers to principles

Weak & Fragmented Regulation

Prevent Nature Loss

Intensifying Urban Development

Increase & Connect Nature

Low Circularity Rate

Drive Circularity

Impacts from Resource Use

Choose Low-Impact Materials

Underinvestment in Nature

Invest in Nature

System Gaps & Opportunities

Supported by System-wide Enablers

Targets & pathways

Actions for success

Supported by system-wide enablers

Embed culture and connection to Country

Supporting delivery of the roadmap

Strengthen data, metrics and decision-making

Supporting delivery of the roadmap

Build industry capability

Key focus areas

How to use the roadmap for TNFD reporting

Review your interface with nature

Prepare a nature positive plan

Engage with stakeholders

Embed targets and actions

Implement

Monitor and report

Delivering nature positive outcomes

Advocate

Collaborate

Educate

Rate

Green Star’s role in driving nature-positive outcomes

Green Star Buildings

Green Star Communities v2

Green Star Fitouts

Responsible Products Framework

What can you do now?

Get involved as we embed these requirements over time:

Government

Developers

Manufacturers

Finance sector