Homes and Habitats: Opportunities for the Built Environment and Infrastructure Sector to Reverse Nature Decline

This report, developed by WWF-Australia, the Materials and Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA), Pollination, Griffith University, and Nature & Climate, supports industry, government, and advocacy stakeholders to avoid, manage, and reverse nature decline across built environment and infrastructure development.

The report outlines why ecosystem clearing is a long-term economic and housing affordability risk, and provides practical pathways for integrating nature-positive considerations into land use planning, urban design, and infrastructure delivery. It presents four priority levers for the sector, including the mitigation hierarchy, “density done well,” nature-based design, and transparent reporting—moving from sprawling development and basic compliance to absolute biodiversity net gain targets, helping the sector align development with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets and a nature-positive future.

Project Background

This work was led by WWF-Australia, MECLA, Pollination, Griffith University and Nature & Climate, with input from industry, government, consultants and academia through cross-sector workshops.

It draws on global frameworks including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, TNFD, ISSB and EPBC Act reforms, translating research and expertise into practical actions for nature-positive development. The roadmap focuses on four key areas: the mitigation hierarchy, better urban density, nature-based design and transparent reporting, supporting both biodiversity outcomes and the need for affordable housing.

About the Report

Homes and Habitats: Opportunities for the Built Environment and Infrastructure Sector to Reverse Nature Decline focuses on accelerating a nature-positive transition across Australia’s built environment and infrastructure sector by translating biodiversity science into practical industry action.

The report explores:

How the built environment contributes to ecosystem loss, using Queensland as a pilot study to quantify the impacts of different land uses and identify priority intervention points.
The policy and regulatory context, including alignment with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (30×30 target), emerging TNFD and ISSB nature-related disclosure frameworks, and proposed reforms to Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Four priority action areas for industry: applying the mitigation hierarchy, delivering “density done well”, embedding nature-based design, and improving transparent nature-related reporting and disclosure.
Practical guidance for decision-makers across industry, government, and advocacy to avoid, minimise, restore, and offset impacts on nature while integrating biodiversity into planning, investment, and project delivery.
The strategic opportunity to demonstrate that protecting and restoring nature can be achieved alongside Australia’s housing and infrastructure objectives, supporting more resilient, liveable, and sustainable communities.

Event Recording and Slides

Event Recording

Event Slides

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all cross-sector workshop participants for their contributions and support throughout the development of this report.

Special acknowledgement is extended to the contributing authors and project partners from WWF-Australia, the Materials and Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA), Pollination, Griffith University, and Nature & Climate. We also thank the contributors from the Queensland Government (DETSI) and industry peak bodies, including the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), for their valuable feedback and contributions during the preparation of the guidance

Past Related MECLA Resources

Briefing

Spotlight

What's Next

Insights from these resources, together with participant feedback and discussion captured during the event, will help inform MECLA’s consideration of future priorities and next steps, including potential follow-on initiatives and Working Group activities in this area.

If you are interested in contributing to this work, further information about MECLA membership and onboarding is available via the website.

Contact

For questions about the report or MECLA’s work in this area, please contact: info@mecla.org.au

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