SDG 15 - Life on Land

Below are all Australian news items from all ESG Snapshot issues that are relevant to SDG 15 (life on land), listed with most recent items appearing first.

Issue 74, 16 December 2024

Consultation opportunity - sustainability claims in agriculture. The Department of Agriculture has released a discussion paper on international market requirements for proof of sustainability claims.

"Sustainability, and the ability to demonstrate that a product has been produced
sustainably, is increasingly becoming a key factor in market access negotiations at the government to government, industry to government and business to business levels," the paper says.

Survey responses must be submitted by 24 February.

Associate Professor Cris Brack has released his latest independent review of the performance of human-induced regeneration projects registered under the ACCU scheme. The report analyses 33 HIR projects.

A review of the application of the EPBC Act to large-scale renewables projects, conducted by Herbert Smith Freehills and the Clean Energy Investor Group, identifies ten "quick wins" to solve common problems.

A hearing this week of a long-running NSW Parliamentary committee inquiry into beneficial and productive post-mining land use will hear from the Queensland Mine Rehabilitation Commissioner, the NSW Auditor General, and the heads of the NSW EPA and the NSW Resources Regulator. 

NSW native forest logging businesses "have massively inflated their financial and compensation demands to establish the Great Koala National Park", according to the Ken Henry-chaired Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation.  

The Foundation's analysis says that financial figures submitted by the industry to the NSW government overstate payment demands by as much as 600% in some cases, "including $300 million in baseless compensation claims". 

As part of the proposal to establish a national park to protect endangered koala habitats in NSW, the state government is negotiating a financial arrangement to cease native forest logging within the GKNP assessment area. 

The Foundation is advocating for the establishment of the GKNP, and for the introduction of an Improved Native Forest Management ACCU method.

The WA government has awarded grants totalling $3.2 million to six projects, under the latest round of its Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program.

Issue 73, 9 December 2024

Santos has registered two ACCU soil carbon projects in Queensland, and Treasury Wines has registered an ACCU soil carbon project in South Australia.

The federal government has submitted reports to the World Heritage Committee on the state of conservation of the Greater Blue Mountains Area, and the state of conservation of the Gondwana rainforests.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins last week convened a roundtable of key industry leaders in Sydney to discuss the development of the agriculture and land Sector net zero plan.  

The NSW government has tabled in Parliament a review of provisions in the National Parks and Wildlife Act that empower the Minister for the Environment to create and deal with carbon sequestration rights on National Parks Service land.

The review notes that national parks represent one of the largest carbon stores in NSW, covering more than 10% of the state, and equating to 40% of the total NSW forest carbon stock. 

"Providing secure, long-term protection for these carbon stocks is a vital contribution to managing climate change risk," it says.

The review says two National Parks Service vegetation regeneration projects are expected to generate 738,000 ACCUs over 25 years. Various existing environmental plantings projects are expected to generate 191,875 ACCUs over 25 years. 

The review concludes the provisions remain valid and appropriate.

Issue 72, 2 December 2024

After intervention by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a compromise reached with key cross-bench senators on EPBC reform legislation has been put on ice.

The move raises the possibility that EPBC reform legislation now won't be considered until after the federal election.

The reform bills, which would have created an independent EPA and provided a legislative basis for national environmental standards, had been opposed by the Western Australian government and the Minerals Council of Australia. 

Cross-bench Senator Fatima Payman also reportedly opposed passage of the legislation, which meant the government did not have sufficient support for the Senate to vote through the legislation.

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has issued a statement on Australia's international environmental leadership.

The federal government has called for expressions of interest to develop voluntary emissions estimation and reporting standards for the agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

The standards are intended to improve the consistency of calculating and accounting for emissions on agricultural land.

Court ruling - record land clearing fine. Auen Grain Pty Ltd and its sole director Ronald Greentree have been fined more than $2 million plus $278,000 in prosecution costs, by the NSW Land and Environment Court.

The penalties were imposed for unlawfully clearing 1,262 hectares of native vegetation. 

The sentence was imposed after Auen Grain Pty Ltd and Greentree were found guilty of eight separate land clearing events between December 2016 and January 2019, on a property northwest of Narrabri.

The clearing resulted in the loss of a significant area of remnant, endangered vegetation, including critical habitat for 30 threatened species.

A Victorian parliamentary committee inquiry into food security has recommended that the state government work with Trust for Nature and farmers to develop an agricultural covenant pilot program to protect biodiversity values on private land.

The existing covenant scheme applies to private land, but not farmland.

The Victorian government has instigated a review of Parks Victoria, which manages more than four million hectares of parks and reserves, which will be completed by next March.

It has also appointed Graeme 'Gus' Dear as the new interim chief executive of the organisation.

Statutory development - biosecurity. The South Australian government's Biosecurity Bill 2024 has passed the Upper House and will now go to the Lower House.

The Bill overhauls the legislative framework for dealing with pests, diseases, and other biosecurity risks, and more closely aligns the state's approach with approaches in other jurisdictions.

Issue 71, 25 November 2024

The federal government has approved a new version of the ACCU Scheme environmental plantings method, just in time for proponents to use it this planting season.

Issue 69, 11 November 2024

The Victorian government has instructed the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council to assess the values of the 1.8 million hectares of State forests in eastern Victoria, including biodiversity, social and economic values.

The review must also consider current and likely future threats to those values, including climate change.

Statutory development - biodiversity offsets. The NSW Parliament has passed the Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Biodiversity Offsets Scheme) Bill 2024.

The Bill overhauls the state's biodiversity offsets scheme, ensuring it transitions to a net positive biodiversity outcomes scheme.

The Bill passed after the government backed some of the amendments proposed by the Coalition and the Greens. The Coalition then supported the amended form of the Bill. However, the Greens unsuccessfully voted against it on the basis that the rejection of some of their amendments made the legislation unacceptable.

Issue 68, 4 November 2024

The federal government has agreed to prioritise the development of four new methods for earning credits under the ACCU scheme. 

Two of the methods were proposed by Indigenous groups, and the other two were proposed by state governments. 

The four proponents will each lead work on the drafting of their respective proposed methods. 

The Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation said the two methods proposed by state governments had the potential to sequester up to 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 annually. 

Meanwhile, the government has also committed to finalising an updated version of the ACCU environmental plantings method before the end of the year, and will release an exposure draft of an integrated farm and land management method in the first half of next year.

Issue 66, 20 October 2024

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek last Friday chaired a meeting of Australian and New Zealand environment ministers to help prepare and protect against bird flu.

Meanwhile, the federal government has allocated an additional $95 million to prepare the nation against bird flu.

A total of $37 million will be allocated to initiatives to protect Australian agriculture, and $35.9 million will be invested to boost environmental measures and accelerate protective action for threatened species and priority biodiversity. 

Another $22.1 million will go towards strengthening public health preparedness.  

Accounting for Nature, the Australia-based environmental accounting framework and certification, has added the biodiversity credits NaturePlus standard to its portfolio of product offerings, and will become its independent administrator. 

AfN has acquired the credit issuance standard from its developer, GreenCollar, and will now conduct pilot testing to refine it and ensure it has global applicability.

The NaturePlus standard will enable project developers to issue credits without having to establish their own standards, "providing a clear and streamlined pathway to market", AfN said.

Issue 65, 13 October 2024

In a move welcomed by the federal government, more than 20 companies and organisations have co-founded Nature Positive Matters, which aims to support business uptake of nature-related reporting and data collection, and pilot programs that are good for nature.

Founding members include the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation, Accounting for Nature, Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Bega Group, Brambles, Climateworks, GPT Group,Iberdrola, Lion Group, New Forests, Qantas, and Wesfarmers.

Highlights from the Global Nature Positive summit in Sydney (click to open):

• The Katoomba Group, which aims to mobilise public funding and private capital to conserve and restore nature, has called for Australia and other fossil fuel producers to ensure fossil fuel companies pay a major share of their revenues into sovereign funds, "with the proceeds used to protect, enhance and restore nature". According to the Group, precedents for such an approach the Alaska Permanent Fund and the Land and Water Conservation fund in the US, and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund.
• The federal government has signed off a 310,000 km2 expansion of the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Park, with Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek saying the move meant Australia was protecting more ocean than any other country on earth. "The decision means that for the first time ever more than half (52%) of Australia’s oceans are now under protection, blitzing a 30 per cent target the Government signed up to as part of a UN nature treaty in 2022," Plibersek said.
• The federal government is also proposing to strengthen protections for 73,000 square kilometres of seas off the coast of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. 
• Meeting Australia's Kunming-Montreal 30 by 30 target for land is going to be challenging, Minister Plibersek said, while launching the National 30 By 30 Roadmap that will coordinate national action to achieve the land target. 

A NSW parliamentary inquiry into the state government's biodiversity offsets scheme reform Bill has released its final report. 

The committee's only recommendation is that the Bill be debated, and that concerns raised during the inquiry "be addressed during debate in the House".

The report notes that, overall, most stakeholders supported the intentions of the Bill.

In what the NSW government terms a "first-of-its-kind initiative", seven landholders from the Murray-Riverina are now protecting, enhancing and extending patches of important native vegetation while generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) with restorative plantings.

Between them, the landholders are permanently 788 hectares of threatened native habitat under conservation agreements with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust.

An additional 141 hectares has been registered with the Clean Energy Regulator to restore, connect and extend habitat through environmental plantings projects under the ACCU scheme.

Issue 64, 7 October 2024

Consultation opportunity - earning biodiversity certificates. The federal government's advisory Nature Repair Committee has released its proposed inaugural method for earning biodiversity certificates under the Nature Repair Act 2023. 

The "replanting native forest and woodland ecosystems method" would allow certificates to be earned through projects that replant native forest and woodland ecosystems.

Projects would need to be carried out in specified regions, which have historically experienced widespread land clearing. The draft method sets rules on matters including eligible land and project activities. 

A project under the method can be combined with a carbon project, to get biodiversity and carbon benefits from the same location.

DCCEEW has also released a biodiversity assessment instrument that would apply to all biodiversity methods, and would prescribe requirements for measuring and assessing biodiversity. 

Comments are due by 30 October. 

The federal government has welcomed a European Commission proposal to extend by one year the transition period for enforcing the EU's anti-deforestation regulation (EUDR), following months of pressure from trading partners.

The National Farmers Federation also welcomed the delay, but the Greens accusedthe federal government of "undermining global efforts to fight deforestation".

Six projects have been awarded a total of $50 million to improve the quality of water flowing to the Great Barrier Reef, through the $200 million Landscape Repair Program.

The projects will aim to reduce sediment flowing to Reef catchments by restoring eroding gully systems, rehabilitating streambanks, and improving groundcover through grazing land management.

The six projects are being delivered by six Regional National Resource Management (NRM) groups.

Consultation opportunity - coastal management. The Queensland government has released a draft of a new Coastal Management Plan. Comments are due by 27 November.

Issue 63, 30 September 2024

The federal government has announced a series of events that will run in tandem with its Global Nature Positive Summit, which starts in Sydney on 8 October.

They include events hosted by the Australian Land Conservation Alliance, the Katoomba Group, UNEP FI, the Nature Positive Initiative, Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand, Terrain NRM, and Telstra.

Eco-Markets Australia has approved a new Grazing Land Management (GLM) methodology under the Reef Credit Standard. 

The methodology allows landholders to generate Reef Credits by improving grazing practices to reduce fine sediment runoff, which is a critical step in protecting the Great Barrier Reef. It was developed by Verterra in collaboration with environmental project developers AgriProve and GreenCollar. 

Grazing is the largest land use in the Great Barrier Reef catchment area, covering 73% of the land. Reef credits can potentially also be stacked with carbon credits to further boost income associated with implementing more sustainable land management practices.

The CRC for High Performance Soils has awarded a $919,840 grant to a team at Newcastle University, led by Professor Ravi Naidu and Dr Yanju Liu, to investigate the conversion of biosolids to biochar for agricultural use.

The Miles government has pledged to boost its investment in the Queensland Investment Corporation's Natural Capital Fund from $45 million to $135 million, if it wins this year's state election.

QIC's Natural Capital Fund, which was launched in 2022, incentivises agricultural landholders to also create income through the emerging natural capital market.

The Queensland Natural Capital Fund made its first investment in late 2022, becoming an equity partner in a sugar cane farm. The property is managed for sugar cane production, alongside activities including soil organic carbon sequestration, and biodiversity and water quality improvement projects.

In addition, the government has made a new pledge of $23.5 million for a six-year pilot of a stewardship payment program for eligible private landholders, as well as $20 million to provide advice and support services to landholders participating in natural capital markets.

The Queensland government already has a $500 million Land Restoration Fund in place, which is focused on land-based carbon credit projects.

The state government has also announced it will transfer its 60% ownership of North Australian Pastoral Company (NAPCo) to the Queensland Future Fund.

This will allow the QIC to manage its NAPCo investment with a broader mandate of marrying food production with the need to address climate change and biodiversity loss, according to the state government.

Issue 62, 23 September 2024

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has released the program for the Global Nature Positive Summit, which will take place from October 8 to 10.

Organisations giving evidence to a NSW Parliamentary committee hearing last Friday into the state government's biodiversity offsets Bill included the Urban Development Institute, the NSW Minerals Council, Cement Aggregates Australia, the Wentworth Group, and the Ecological Consultants Association.

Issue 61, 16 September 2024

Statutory development - illegal logging. The federal Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill 2024 has now passed both Houses. 

The Bill modernises monitoring and compliance arrangements, to ensure illegally logged timber isn't imported into Australia or sold in Australia. 

Meanwhile, the Greens have introduced an Ending Native Forest Logging Bill, with both major parties stating that they do not support it.

A Senate committee inquiring into the government's Nature Positive bills, which would establish a new EPA and a tougher environmental crime compliance regime, has recommended changes to the bills in its final report.

Labor senators recommended amendments to give the Environment Minister power to make, review and amend environmental standards. They also sought an amendment to allow a merits review, if an organisation or individual is issued with an Environmental Protection Order. 

In addition, Labor senators want further consultation to ensure the definition of nature positive is consistent with the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Greens senators called for amendments, without specifying them, and said they were "willing to work with the Labor government on strong reforms that protect nature now". 

Senator David Pocock recommended that native logging be made subject to the EPBC Act. Senator Pocock also recommended governance changes for the EPA, and a new requirement to disclose all direct and indirect emissions associated with projects seeking EPBC approval. 

Coalition senators warned that introducing a climate trigger, or bringing native forestry under the EPBC Act, "would represent yet another dagger to the heart of Australian industry under the Albanese government".

The federal government says more than 115 biodiversity projects will receive a share of more than $215 million. 

About $115 million is being invested in 55 projects that benefit 20 priority places identified in the Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032.

The remaining funding is being invested in more than 60 projects that protect species and landscapes.

Representatives of WWF and the Planning Institute were among those appearing before a hearing last Thursday of a NSW parliamentary committee inquiry into the government's biodiversity offsets reform bill. 

Another hearing will be held this Friday.

Consultation opportunity - biodiversity credits. The NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has launched its second annual review of the NSW biodiversity credits market. 

A discussion paper says that in FY24 there were substantial increases in the:
• number and types of credits transferred in the market.
• total value of market transactions.
• number of new Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements signed.

"We found that around 20,000 more credits were transferred between proponents and landholders in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23 – and the types of credits traded were more varied than before," an IPART discussion paper says. 

"The market saw a total of 236 market transactions, up from 159 in the previous year, and the total value of these transactions reached $226 million - more than all other years combined since the market's inception."

In FY24, proponents showed less dependency on the Biodiversity Conservation Fund to offset their impacts than in previous years, but fund balances continued to grow steadily, the paper says. 

"Between FY23 and FY24, the number of credit obligations that were transferred to the Trust via payments into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund halved (from 20,158 to 10,865),it says. 

"The value of these payments into the fund totalled roughly $64 million, and reduced by 21% from FY23."

The IPART review will consider the performance of the market in the context of the government's proposed reforms to the scheme. Comments are due by 8 October.

The NSW Natural Resources Commission has released its preliminary report on the biosecurity risks of invasive species.

Issue 60, 9 September 2024

Statutory development and consultation opportunity - nature repair market. The federal government is inviting comments by 30 September on Rules that will operate under the Nature Repair Act 2023. 

The Rules will deal with matters including project registration, the contents of biodiversity certificates, the register, and assurance and compliance.

A NSW parliamentary inquiry into the government's biodiversity offsets reform Bill will hold a hearing on Thursday. 

A NSW parliamentary inquiry into beneficial and productive post-mining land use will hold a hearing on 21 October.

Issue 59, 2 September 2024

The NSW government has appointed an expert panel to lead consultation on a Forestry Industry Action Plan, "which will outline the path NSW will take to ensure a sustainable timber industry that aligns with the government’s key environmental priorities".

The panel will be chaired by Peter Duncan AM, assisted by Professor Mary O'Kane AC and Mick Veitch.

Grant opportunity - native vegetation. The SA Native Vegetation Council is invitingapplications for vegetation and revegetation activities in the Northern and Yorke, SA Arid Lands and Eyre Peninsula regions. Applications close on 15 November. 

The Council is also inviting applications for incentive grants from landowners who want to establish a new Heritage Agreement or expand an existing Heritage Agreement. Heritage Agreements establish conservation areas on private land.

Issue 58, 26 August 2024

The federal government's new advisory Nature Repair Committee will be chaired by Steve McCutcheon, a director of Horticulture Innovation Australia, and a board member of JAS-ANZ. Other members comprise:

• James Fitzsimons (senior advisor, global protection strategies at the Nature Conservancy).
• Brendan Foran, (Chair of GreenCollar, and AustraHort, and a board member of Landcare Australia, and the North East Catchment Management Authority).
• Tyronne Garstone (chief executive at the Kimberley Land Council).
• Fiona Simson (member of the Climate Change Authority, and Chair of the Future Foods Systems CRC).
• Siobhan Toohill (former chief sustainability officer at Westpac).

Statutory development and consultation opportunity - illegal logging. The federal government is seeking comments by 13 September on draft Illegal Logging Prohibition Rules 2024.

The rules will operate under the auspices of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill, which is currently before Parliament.

The Senate committee inquiring into the government's Nature Positive bills has again had its reporting deadline extended, this time until 9 September.

Issue 57, 19 August 2024

Consultation opportunity - biodiversity. A consultation paper on a new performance framework for Queensland's biodiversity conservation strategy proposes six targets for 2030:

• Effectively protecting areas of high biodiversity value to ensure net gain in extent and condition, as part of the national 30 by 30 target.
• Ensuring restoration work is underway in up to 2 million hectares of priority degraded ecosystems.
• Improving threatened species recovery and reducing overall extinction risk.
• Mitigating key threats to biodiversity and enhancing nature's resilience to change.
• Integrating biodiversity into relevant decisions of government, business and community.
• Increasing awareness and engagement in conservation efforts.

Information sessions will take place on August 20 and 21, and survey responses are due by 11 September.

Statutory development - biodiversity. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe has introduced a Bill to overhaul the state's biodiversity offsets scheme.

The introduction of the Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Biodiversity Offsets Scheme) Bill 2024 follows a review of the biodiversity offsets scheme by Ken Henry. 

"Biodiversity in New South Wales is in crisis," Sharpe told the Legislative Council. "Government cannot be the manager of steady decline. The government's goal is to leave nature better off than it found it."

The Bill:

• requires the scheme to transition over time from a "no net loss" approach to a "net positive" approach.
• specifies steps that must be taken to ensure biodiversity offsets are used as a genuine last resort, and establishes a public register showing commitments made by proponents of approved projects to avoid and minimise biodiversity impacts.
• introduces a new requirement for the Environment Minister to provide concurrence for certain state significant projects that will have conditions requiring the use of biodiversity credits. 
• overhauls the administration of the Biodiversity Conservation Fund and the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, including through a new requirement that the Trust acquit offset obligations paid into the fund within three years.
• introduces new constraints on developers simply paying levies into the Trust to meet their offset obligations, instead of purchasing biodiversity credits. 
• introduces measures to improve the quality and consistency of biodiversity assessments. 
• facilitates the making of regulations that would apply the offsets scheme if a landholder proposes development on land that is mapped on the Biodiversity Values Map. The regulations will incorporate a review process, if landholders believe the mapping is inaccurate. 

The Bill has been referred to Portfolio Committee No. 7 for review. 

A new report from the NSW Audit Office has found the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is not effectively operating programs to protect threatened species and ecological communities.

Under its flagship Saving our Species program, DCCEEW is delivering conservation actions for less than one‑third of all threatened species and ecological communities, the audit report says. 

"This number has reduced over time, in line with reduced program funding," it says. 

"The number of species and ecological communities that DCCEEW actively manages, or funds other entities to manage, has reduced by 19% since 2018–19," the report says. 

"This decrease corresponds with a decline in program funding of 25% in 2021–22."

DCCEEW did not deliver any conservation activities, including monitoring, for 69% of threatened species and ecological communities in 2022–23, it says.

Issue 56, 12 August 2024

DCCEEW has released the Supervising Scientist's assessment of Energy Resource Australia's 2023 closure plan for the Ranger uranium mine, which notes that Rio Tinto-owned ERA now expects major rehabilitation work to be completed by 2035.

This is significantly beyond the 2026 date originally written into legislation, and is "a more realistic timeframe", the Supervising Scientist's assessment says.

The assessment notes that ERA now expects rehabilitation to cost more than the $2.2 billion that the company had originally estimated.

A Senate committee inquiry into the Nature Positive bills has delayed its reporting date from 8 August to 19 August.

DCCEEW has released a training package is now available under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program to help farmers and land managers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon.

Issue 55, 5 August 2024

Transcript and opening statements from a recent hearing of the Senate committee inquiry into the Nature Positive Bills are now available.

Those giving evidence included Professor Graeme Samuel, representatives of environment and clean energy groups, and Dr Ken Henry.

Issue 54, 29 July 2024

The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists has released a 30-year Blueprint to repair Australia's landscapes, that proposes 24 actions and investments. 

The report, which was developed in consultation with more than 60 experts over six years, says these actions will require the investment of about $7.3 billion annually. 

However, restoring and protecting native vegetation through Australia's ACCU scheme could provide between 7% and 15% of the total investment required, reducing the annual finance gap to between $6.2 billion and $6.8 billion, it says.

Submissions to the Senate committee inquiry into the government's nature positive bills are now available. 

Meanwhile, organisations including the Biodiversity Council, the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, the Clean Energy Council and the Smart Energy Council appeared before an inquiry hearing held last Friday.

The Queensland government has released the latest annual Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) for August 2023 to August 2022.

The extent of clearing revealed in the latest study was criticised by Ken Henry, chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation.

The study shows more than 323,600 hectares of forest and bushland were cut down and cleared between 2021-22, including almost 12,500 hectares of endangered or threatened regional ecosystems, Henry said. 

Henry said the study showed the need for stronger measures to ensure compliance with vegetation protection laws and for new and improved policies to reduce the clearing of native vegetation.

Henry also welcomed the Queensland government's proposal to develop an ACCU scheme method that would reward landholders with carbon credits for avoiding reclearing on previously cleared land.

Sixteen local organisations in Queensland have received Natural Resource Recovery Program grants totalling $23.7 million for projects that improve soils and land management practices, and build up native vegetation.

The NSW government has recruited 11 new Natural Capital Advisors, who will advise farmers and land managers on the environmental and financial opportunities available to them.

Following the new appointments, NSW Local Land Services will be hosting Natural Capital Conversation events in August and September to provide landholders with information on how they can manage their natural assets.

The Victorian government's Scientific Advisory Committee, operating under the auspices of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, has made a final recommendation to support the nomination of salvage logging of burnt native forests as a potentially threatening process under the Act.

Issue 53, 22 July 2024

Statutory development - nature protection. The NSW government has released its response to the statutory reviews of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (by Ken Henry), and the native vegetation provisions of the Local Land Services Act 2013. 

Changes prompted by the Ken Henry review include reform of the biodiversity offsets scheme, by requiring it to go beyond the current "no net loss" approach and transition to delivering "net positive" outcomes. 

New powers will also be introduced that enable limits to be imposed on proponents' ability to meet a biodiversity offset requirement simply by paying into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund, instead of acquiring credits.

Major mining companies will no longer be able to meet their biodiversity credit obligations through on-site ecological mine site rehabilitation.

"We will consider whether a new offsets mechanism is required specifically to meet the urgency of the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap," the response adds. "This acknowledges the dual imperatives of climate and biodiversity, and the need to maximise strategic biodiversity outcomes."

The state government will also work with its federal counterpart on the development of the national Nature Repair Market and national carbon market, and design NSW natural capital programs and projects to leverage national schemes.

In some circumstances, concurrence from the Minister for the Environment will be required for state significant development or state significant infrastructure projects.

NSW will also become the first Australian jurisdiction to develop and implement local and statewide natural capital accounting frameworks. These frameworks will provide aggregated data on stocks and flows of natural capital, to inform government decision-making and monitoring, and support nature-based markets.

The state government will also pilot regional and property-scale natural capital accounting and investment frameworks, and it will generally upgrade the gathering and management of biodiversity data. 

The government will also amend the Biodiversity Conservation Act to require the development of a NSW Nature Strategy to guide actions to protect, restore and enhance ecosystems and landscapes.

It will also identify and map areas of high biodiversity value. 

As a result of the Local Land Services Act review, the state government will also strengthen the Code that operates under the auspices of the Act, reinstate caps on land clearing, and incentivise landholders to protect and restore native vegetation, and increase notification requirements. 

The NSW government has released a framework for setting priorities under its Saving Our Species program, which says priority will be given to cost-effective projects that are strategic, and that maximise conservation benefit across the state.

Issue 52, 15 July 2024

The federal government is establishing 12 new Indigenous Protected Areas that will protect 7.5 million hectares of land and 450,000 hectares of sea Country.

The new IPAs augment existing IPAs that cover 87 million hectares of land and more than five million hectares of sea Country.

The new IPAs count towards the government's commitment to protect 30% of land by 2030.

The NSW government is auditing the quality and effectiveness of remediation work conducted by landholders who are subject to Remediation Orders as a result environmental offences such as illegal clearing.

Failure to comply with a Remediation Order can lead to penalties of up to $660,000 for corporations or $132,000 for individuals. Additional penalties apply for each day the offence continues.

The WA EPA has recommended approval for South32's proposed expansion of the Boddington bauxite mine and Worsley refinery, subject to conditions including a 12,000 hectare biodiversity offsets package.

The mine is located within the Northern Jarrah Forest sub-region, which is a global biodiversity hotspot, and the expansion will involve the clearing of 3,855 hectares of native vegetation in the sub-region.

The offsets package will ensure no net loss in significant fauna habitat, and will result in regional scale benefits including improved ecological linkages, according to the EPA.

Proposed conditions include a requirement that the area cleared each year should be less than the area rehabilitated.

The EPA's assessment report notes that South32's expansion clearing, coupled with clearing plans over the next two decades by Alcoa and Newmont, will result in the clearing of an additional 27,806 hectares of native vegetation in the
Northern Jarrah Forest.

Issue 51, 8 July 2024

Statutory development - Nature Positive. Three government Nature Positive billshave cleared the House of Representatives unamended, and will now go to the Senate.

Two of the bills will establish Environment Protection Australia and Environment Information Australia. The transitional provisions Bill will significantly increase maximum penalties - putting nature crime on an equivalent footing to financial crime - and will also introduce new compliance measures.

A Senate committee is conducting a brief inquiry into the bills and is due to report on 8 August. Submissions are being accepted until 15 July.

Statutory development - Nature Repair Committee. The federal government has gazetted rules that prescribe procedures to be followed by the new Nature Repair Committee.

A survey of 30 sites linked to EPBC offset requirements has found that 55% of sites sampled had maintained their condition, 30% were in worse condition, 10% had improved, and the remainder had mixed results.

The study was commissioned by DCCEEW, and carried out by Jacobs Group.

Issue 50, 1 July 2024

Debate is continuing in the House of Representatives on the government's Nature Positive bills, which would establish Environment Protection Australia and Environment Information Australia.

The Queensland government has released terms of reference for the development of a new Sustainable Timber Industry Framework.

The 30-year framework, to be finalised next year, will be backed by a $200 million package of measures to support for timber plantation expansion and innovation in timber processing. The package will also fund a state-wide assessment of biodiversity values mapping.

Issue 49, 24 June 2024

In partnership with Cape York Traditional Owner groups, the Australian and Queensland governments have nominated the Cultural Landscapes of Cape York Peninsula to Australia’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Parts of the Pilbara's largest seasonal wetland will be classified as Class A nature reserve following the signing of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation.

The proposed Fortescue Marsh Nature Reserve will span 107,000 hectares. The move comes as part of the state government's goal of creating five million hectares of new conservation estate over five years through its Plan for our Parks.

Statutory development - native forests. The WA Legislative Assembly has passed the Conservation and Land Management Bill, and it is now before the Legislative Council.

The amendments will "solidify and lock" the government's decision to stop commercial native forest logging, according to Environment Minister Reece Whitby.

Issue 48, 17 June 2024

Consultation opportunity - ACCU environmental plantings. DCCEEW has proposed re-making the ACCU method that allows carbon credits to be earned from environmental plantings projects, with some amendments. Comments are due by 15 July.

Consultation opportunity - pests of trees and timber. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is seeking feedback on a draft National action plan for pests of trees and timber. Survey responses are due by 5 July.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has awarded $20 million to 17 projects designed to protect and restore soil health.

Statutory development - coexistence. Queensland's Gasfields Commission will now be known as Coexistence Queensland, and it will have an expanded role in ensuring agriculture, resources, and renewables industries can work cooperatively, following the passage of the Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. 

The Bill, which also amends the mining industry financial assurance scheme, is hereand an explanatory note is here.

Issue 46, 3 June 2024

Statutory development - ban on commercial logging. The Legislative Assembly has passed the Sustainable Forests (Timber) Repeal Bill, with the Opposition voting against it.

The Bill, which would ban commercial logging and abolish VicForests, will now go to the Legislative Council.

The Opposition opposes the Bill, and has also signalled it is opposed to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council's suggestion that a large national park be created in the state's Central Highlands.

Issue 45, 27 May 2024

A DCCEEW audit of compliance with EPBC biodiversity offset requirements has found 14% of 222 approved projects were non-compliant or potentially non-compliant with their biodiversity offset obligations.

The report says a subsequent desktop audit of an additional 120 approved projects with high environmental impact found 25% had not, or potentially had not, secured the biodiversity offsets that the terms of their approval required.

Issue 44, 20 May 2024

Court ruling - FOI. Walker Group Holdings, the proponent of the proposed Toondah Harbour project, has lost a Federal Court case in which it challenged a decision by DCCEEW to grant an FOI request the Australian Conservation Foundation for access to certain documents.

Walker Group last month withdrew its application for EPBC approval of the Toondah Harbour project after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersik announced her intention to refuse approval.

The Greens have referred to a Senate committee a government Bill that is intended to strengthen controls on the importation of illegal timber. 

The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee will conduct the inquiry into the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill, and will report by 20 June.

The Queensland government has released the findings of a GHD report on a review of the state's koala regulations. 

The government has also committed to strengthen the regulations through amendments to Planning Regulation 2017 and Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2017.

Court ruling - forests. The NSW Court of Appeal has ruled that an environmental group, South East Forest Rescue, has standing to launch civil enforcement proceedings against the NSW Forestry Corporation for alleged offences. 

The Appeal Court decision overturns an earlier decision by the Land and Environment Court.

Issue 43, 13 May 2024

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has written to the EU Commissioner for the Environment expressing concern about the potential impact on Australian agricultural exports of an EU regulation on deforestation-free supply chains for commodities including beef.

The Australian Government's strong view is that the regulation "won't, and should not, impact Australian beef exports", Watt told Beef2024 in Rockhampton.

"I have requested that the EU Commissioner delay its implementation until all requirements are fully understood and to avoid any adverse impact on our agriculture trade," he said.

The EU regulation is due to enter into force on 30 December, and the European Commission is due to complete country risk assessments for deforestation and forest degradation by that date. 

Watt noted that last year, Australia's largest customer for beef - a supermarket in Japan - had asked Meat and Livestock Australia how Australian beef exporters could help it meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

"That customer also made it clear they would be asking Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and every other competitor we have, the same question," Watt noted. 

He also noted that the government had received more than 230 submissions on its Net Zero Plan for agriculture and the land sector.

Meanwhile, Meat and Livestock Australia has released the 2024 Annual Update of the Australian Sustainability Framework.

The federal government is providing $3.5 million to help support and expand the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Monitoring Program, which has operated since 2006.

Consultation opportunity - invasive species. The Queensland government is consulting on a proposed new invasive species strategy, with comments due by 31 May.

A new biodiversity outlook report published by the NSW government updates the findings of the inaugural 2020 edition, and takes into account the impact of the 2019-20 summer bushfires.

The report shows 50% of listed threatened species are now expected to still be surviving in 100 years, down from 52%.

The Tasmanian government has signalled it will be retrospectively amending the Tasmanian State Coastal Policy.

The move will remove grounds for an appeal against ACEN's proposed Robbins Island wind farm. The Bob Brown Foundation has criticised the move.

The WA Appeals Convenor has recommended that vegetation near Broome that was to be cleared for a landfill and recycling centre should be retained because it is "part of a habitat significant to the Greater Bilby".

However, it also noted that the proposed clearing is within an area where much of the original habitat for Greater Bilby remains, and the proposal will not significantly reduce the area of habitat. 

It also noted that waste and resource recovery is an essential public service and the proposed use would be consistent with relevant planning instruments.

"If the Minister is of the view that the permit should be granted, we recommend the appeal be allowed to the extent that the Shire be required to prepare a plan to offset the significant residual impacts to Greater Bilby habitat," the Appeal Convenor said.

However, after considering the Appeal Convenor's advice, the Minister granted the permit without imposing the offset condition.

"Advice provided to the Minister by the Department is that the entire Broome (and Dampier) peninsula is mapped as a critical habitat for the Greater Bilby," the Minister said. 

However, the Minister "accepted the Department's view that taking a black-and-white approach to the definition of critical habitat while not accounting for local and regional environmental context in decision-making, would mean that almost any development requiring clearing on the Dampier Peninsula would require an offset for the Greater Bilby". 

"The Department's view is that this is not an outcome that is required by the WA Environmental Offsets Framework," the Minister said.

Issue 42, 6 May 2024

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust has appointed two new board members - former National Farmers Federation Chair Fiona Simson and Professor Phil Duncan. 

Simson was recently also appointed to the board of the Climate Change Authority.

Issue 41, 29 April 2024

Transcript is now available of a recent Senate committee hearing on the government's plans to establish an EPA, ahead of undertaking broader EPBC reforms.

Issue 40, 22 April 2024

Walker Corporation has withdrawn its application for EPBC approval for a development in Toondah Harbour near Brisbane, following an announcement by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek that she intended to refuse approval.

The Queensland government has purchased Vergemont Station, a 352,589-hectare cattle grazing property in western Queensland, with the help of a $21 million philanthropic donation brokered by The Nature Conservancy.

Approximately 98% of Vergemont Station is covered in remnant vegetation, and contains 34 different regional ecosystems. 

Vergemont Station adjoins the recently acquired Tonkoro Station, and when combined with surrounding reserves and parks they will create a protected area corridor that conserves almost one and a half million hectares of Channel Country.

Issue 39, 15 April 2024

Minister for the Environment, Tanya Plibersek, plans to refuse Walker Corporation's application for a development on Toondah Harbour, near Brisbane. Toondah Harbour is part of the Moreton Bay Ramsar Site, which is recognised as a wetland of international importance.

The company has 10 business days to respond to the Minister’s proposed decision.

A new Reef Health update from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has found that half of more than 1,000 individual reefs surveyed 836 reefs in the Marine Park and 244 reefs in the Torres Strait region) showed high or very high levels of bleaching.

Only a quarter of the individual reefs recorded no to low levels of bleaching.

Consultation opportunity - threatened species. The NSW government is inviting comments by 3 May on 71 draft 'saving our species' conservation plans.

In addition, 97 zoo-bred Bellinger River snapping turtles have been released into the Bellinger River, bringing the total number released to 179 since 2018, when the species was on the brink of extinction.

The Western Australian EPA has recommended that plans by the City of Gosnells to rezone 257ha of land in Kenwick from 'General Rural' to 'Business Development' should not be permitted.

EPA Chair Professor Matthew Tonts said the assessment had highlighted the challenges of persistent development on the Swan Coastal Plain.

"The extraordinarily biodiverse, internationally-significant Greater Brixton Street Wetlands are located within and adjacent to the amendment areas," he said.

However, the EPA has proposed approval conditions, in case the planning and environment ministers decide to allow the rezoning, despite the EPA's advice. The EPA's report is open for public appeal until 24 April.

Issue 38, 8 April 2024

A long-running, Greens-chaired Senate committee inquiry into Australia's extinction crisis will hold a special hearing on 17 April to examine the government's plans to reform the EPBC Act.

Statutory development. The federal government has introduced the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill, which aims to modernise and strengthen the original 2012 Act.

It would extend powers to test timber samples for species and harvest origin, and would require that notice be given of regulated timber products being brought into Australia.

The Biodiversity Council, which was founded by 11 Australian universities, has released its second annual Biodiversity Concerns Survey report.

The Victorian government's Eminent Panel for Community Engagement is consulting on the future management of Central Highlands forests. Feedback must be provided by 29 April.

The South Australian government has approved a koala management plan submitted by timber company AAG Investment Management, for its Kangaroo Island blue gum plantations.

The company had been ordered to halt operations after footage emerged of koalas being killed and injured within its plantations.

Grant opportunity - conservation. The WA government is offering conservation grants of up to $450,000, with a total of $7 million on offer. Applications close on 20 May.

Issue 37, 25 March 2024

The Australian National University has released its latest annual report on Australia's environmental condition. The report examines the changing condition of our natural resources and ecosystems.

The NSW government has strengthened the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan, which provides upfront biodiversity approval for housing development in specified western Sydney growth corridors. 

The changes provide greater protection for koala habitat, and for the critically endangered Cumberland Plain woodland.

The Conservation Plan applies to an area of about 200,000 hectares in western Sydney.

Grant opportunity - conservation. The Western Australian government is offering conservation grants of up to $450,000, with a total of $7 million on offer. Applications close on 20 May. 

Meanwhile, the WA government has announced a total of $500,000 in funding for five feral cat management projects, and has invited applications for further funding.

Issue 36, 18 March 2024

The Green Building Council of Australia has released a discussion paper on its proposed Nature Roadmap, and will host a webinar on 11 April. Comments on the paper are due by 30 June.

"The roadmap will advocate for net biodiversity gain on all sites, and for the protection of ecologically sensitive areas in and outside the site," the paper says. 

It adds that the roadmap "will likely endorse biodiversity net-gain in planning policies and potentially set minimum expectations for Green Star".

Issue 33, 26 February 2024

The Clean Energy Regulator says it will "administer both the Nature Repair Market and the ACCU Scheme to support alignment between carbon and biodiversity markets". 

"Where possible, the Regulator will use its experience to create synergies and streamline processes to make it easier for landholders to participate in both schemes," it says.

The Regulator will be responsible for administering the scheme, and its duties will include:

• assessing applications to register, vary or cancel projects.
• ​​​issuing biodiversity certificates.
• performing ongoing assurance, monitoring and compliance activities.
• maintaining the public register of biodiversity projects and certificates.

Issue 32, 19 February 2024

GeoNadir and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) have completed a project to make all TERN's current and future Australian drone-mapping data available on the GeoNadir global map.

TERN is Australia's national ecosystem observatory and has over 1,000 sites around Australia where drones are used to capture changes in vegetation and landscape characteristics. GeoNadir is a data repository allowing users to search, access, visualise, analyse, and share drone data.

"TERN is leading the way here for ensuring that drone Earth observation data collected using public funds are disseminated widely," said GeoNadir co-founder Dr Karen Joyce. 

The federal government has awarded a total of $8 million to projects delivering innovative solutions for lower-cost biodiversity monitoring. Grant recipients include CSIRO and WWF.

Grant opportunity - Reef water quality and natural capital. The state government is offering a total of $5.5 million for projects aimed at improving water quality in reef catchments.

Individual grants of up to $2.5 million, or possibly more, will be considered. Applications close on 30 April.

An additional notional allocation of up to $750,000 is potentially available for applications that demonstrate a capacity to undertake natural capital projects.

Grant guidelines define natural capital projects as those that use carbon and environmental markets, or such things as impact funds or natural capital accounting, to help connect private capital to the restoration or protection of natural assets.

Open consultations - better use of Crown Land. The NSW government is seeking views by 19 March on potential reforms to the Crown Land Management Act.

Statutory development - biosecurity. The ACT government has introduced an amendment Bill to its Biosecurity Act 2023, which aims to streamline biosecurity processes and facilitate cooperation with NSW.

Grant program - tree plantings. Grants of up to $2,500 per hectare will be provided by state government-owned Private Forests Tasmania to support tree plantings by Tasmanian farmers. Expressions of interest close on 1 March.

Issue 31, 12 February 2024

New consultation - Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan. The federal and Queensland governments are seeking survey responses by 16 February.

New consultation - Murray Darling Basin. Comments are invited by 4 March on the draft framework for delivering the 450GL of additional environmental water.

Statutory development - seabed mining ban. The state government has introduced an Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Sea Bed Mining and Exploration) Bill, which would ban offshore mineral and petroleum mining, as well as associated activities, in the state's coastal waters.

Issue 30, 5 February 2024

The Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action is undertaking a review of the state's Landcare Facilitator Program.

From the start of this year, the Victorian government will exempt from land tax areas that are protected by a Trust for Nature conservation covenant.

Melbourne Water has lodged an EPBC referral for a proposal to add six hectares of constructed wetland to an existing wetland to compensate for the loss of habitat arising from the previous development of the Eastern Treatment Plant solar farm.

Issue 29, 29 January 2024

Eco-Markets Australia, which administers the Reef Credits scheme, as well as the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA), have both become partners in the proposed Nature Positive Economy CRC.

Issue 28, 22 January 2024

Court ruling. The Federal Court has rejected arguments by the North East Forest Alliance that the NSW North East Regional Forest Agreement is invalid.

The Tasmanian government has released a Conservation Action Plan for the endangered Maugean skate, which is found only in the state's Macquarie Harbour.

Issue 27, 15 January 2024

In conjunction with states and territories, the federal government is updatingAustralia's Strategy for Nature.

The updated strategy will be finalised before the end of the year, and will show how Australia will contribute to the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 

The move follows an agreement by federal, state and territory environment ministers on the six priority areas for national targets under the strategy.

NSW's IPART has concluded NSW's Biodiversity Credits Market is not performing well and requires major changes, in its inaugural annual report on the market. 

IPART concludes that allowing project proponents to pay into a Biodiversity Conservation Fund to meet their offset obligations is undermining the biodiversity credits market, and has recommended that the government phase-out the Biodiversity Conservation Fund pay-in option.

Government intervention should focus on reducing establishment and transaction costs for biodiversity credits, while allowing the market to address the remaining costs, IPART says.

In FY23, one in five project developers purchased biodiversity credits through the market, with the remainder opting to make payments into the fund, IPART notes.

The Victorian Environmental Assessment Commission has released its interim report on the values of the forests in the state's central highlands, which notes that the region's mountain ash forests are amongst the forests containing the highest density of carbon in the world. 

New consultation - environmental impact assessment. The Tasmanian government is consulting on environmental impact assessment processes for projects on reserves managed by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service. Comments are due by 8 March.

The WA government's ban on the commercial logging of native forests came into force on 1 January. The ban is backed by a new forest management plan.

Issue 26, 8 January 2024

Minister Tanya Plibersek has issued an EPBC decision that a proposal by the Port of Hastings to establish a Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at the port for the assembly of offshore wind turbine components is "clearly unacceptable".

The reasons have not yet been provided, but the project - which initially had the backing of the Victorian government - would have potentially affected wetlands of international importance.

Ahead of the general public release of additional EPBC reform documents, the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand has made a new submission to the government based on its viewing of the documents ahead of their general release.

Associate Professor Cris Brack, an Australian National University forestry expert, has completed his inaugural six-monthly review of checking procedures for human-induced regeneration (HIR) projects under the ACCU Scheme.

HIR projects must undergo regular "gateway checks" to demonstrate that ACCUs are only being issued for land that is progressing towards forest cover.

Brack's review of a subset of 25 HIR projects found they are demonstrating regeneration, proponents are implementing the project activities, and the projects are subject to strong assurance.

The projects examined by Brack are managed by a range of entities, and vary in their age and location.

Applications close on 1 February to join the Biodiversity Assessment Expert Reference Group that will provide independent advice to DCCEEW on the design and implementation of the Nature Repair Market.

The Group will help ensure that the Nature Repair Market is informed by science and that it enables First Nations people to contribute their unique knowledge on their terms.

Grant opportunity. DCCEEW has released initial details of a Gamechangers for Native Species funding round, with applications for a share in $11.5 million accepted from 24 January.

Issue 25, 18 December 2023

Transcript of DCCEEW's public webinar on EPBC reform is now available. The transcript points out that, under the proposed reforms, the approval decision-maker will in most cases be the soon-to-be-established independent Environment Protection Australia, not the Environment Minister. 

A NSW Department of Planning and Environment environmental plantings project has been issued with 24,026 Australian Carbon Credit Units, worth more than $768,800 at the current generic ACCU spot price.

The environmental plantings have been carried out in degraded National Parks reserves that were previously used for forestry, mining or agricultural purposes.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is the first parks agency in Australia to commit to becoming carbon positive by 2028, and the ACCUs will be used to offset any residual NPWS emissions, and generate revenue.

The ACT government has released a Native Species Conservation Plan for koalas.

Issue 24, 11 December 2023

Statutory development. Federal Parliament has passed the Nature Repair Market Bill, which creates a trading regime for biodiversity certificates.

The Bill passed after the government agreed to Greens amendments that prevent the certificates being used for biodiversity offsetting purposes.

The Greens also secured a commitment from the government to broaden the EPBC water trigger before the end of the year so that it covers all types of gas projects, not just coal seam gas.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has established a new advisory Nature Finance Council to encourage business investment in nature repair, which is chaired by former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry.

Other members include Anna Skarbek (Climateworks CEO), David Jenkins (NAB's global head of sustainable finance), David Thodey (former Telstra CEO), Dr Jody Gunn (CEO, Australian Land Conservation Alliance), Elizabeth O’Leary (Macquarie Asset Management's global chair of agriculture and natural assets), and Ian Hamm (chair of the Board of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation).

The council will advise on increasing investment into benefits for nature, and positioning Australia as a global leader in nature finance.

The proponents of a proposed Nature Positive Economy CRC have welcomed two carbon project developers, Climate Friendly and Regenco, as core partners. The bid team's associate partners include WWF and Accounting for Nature.

The most recent reverse auction conducted by the Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund received 75 bids offering more than 116,000 credits, according to an auction update.

After bid evaluation, more than 17,000 credits were accepted for purchase, worth a total of $33.3 million.

The Accounting for Nature program has accredited the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust under its Accounting for Nature Framework.    

The Trust establishes and manages conservation agreements with landholders, and the accreditation confirms it operates a robust ecological monitoring framework.

Consultation opportunity and statutory development. Comments are due by 14 February on a discussion paper on the South Australian government's proposed introduction of a new Biodiversity Act.

Issue 23, 4 December 2023

The Nature Conservancy, Pew Charitable Trusts, the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) and WWF-Australia have released a report on how Australia can meet its commitment to protect 30% of its land and oceans by 2030.

The report calls for a new $5 billion fund for the purchase of high conservation value land, and more support for permanent conservation covenants on private land.

Victoria's Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability has released the latest State of the Environment report.

Of the 139 indicators examined in the report, 33 are improving, 34 are stable, 60 are deteriorating, and 44 are unclear.

Responding to biodiversity decline and climate change remain major challenges for Victoria, the report says. 

Issue 22, 27 November 2023

Taking decisive action to become a nature-positive economy could boost Australia’s national income by AU$47 billion by 2050, according to a new paper from consultancy EY.

The report says current "carbon-focused" policies can drive large-scale land sector sequestration, but will deliver almost no habitat restoration, because environmental plantings are more expensive than other types of landscape-based carbon credit projects.

"We contrast this with a more balanced approach to carbon and biodiversity goals. This delivers more than seven times more native habitat at an opportunity cost of 20% less carbon in 2050, relative to the carbon-focused approach," it says.

The proposed "balanced approach" would uses a levy on all carbon sequestration to fund a top-up payment that incentivises restoration of habitat with high conservation values.

Issue 20, 13 November 2023

The federal government will host webinars on 23 November and 28 November on the state-of-play of its proposed EPBC Act reforms, with bookings to open shortly here.

Consultation opportunity. Victoria's Threatened Species Committee has made a preliminary recommendation that salvage logging of burnt forests be treated as a potentially threatening process under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act. Comments are due by 10 December.

Consultation opportunity. The Tasmanian government intends overhauling the state's threatened species strategy. Comments on a discussion paper are due by 22 December.

Issue 19, 6 November 2023

A new legal opinion, commissioned by Pollination Law and the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative, advises that Australian company directors should at least identify their company’s nature-related dependencies and impacts, and consider the potential risks these may pose.

Directors who fail to consider nature-related risks "could be found liable for breaching their duty of care and diligence", it says.

The opinion was written by Sebastian Hartford-Davis and Zoe Bush.

New research by EY, commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation, shows $260 billion of all outstanding Australian bank loans, or 22% of bank lending, is to sectors that carry a high risk of impacting nature.

Livestock agriculture, which holds $47bn of outstanding loans from leading Australian banks, is the subsector responsible for the biggest impact on nature, the report says.

The research sets out six legacy banking practices that act as barriers to protecting and restoring nature, and identifies ten actions that banks can take to make their lending practices consistent with the UN Global Biodiversity Framework.

Statutory development. A Biosecurity Legislation Amendment (Incident Response) Bill introduced to the Victorian Parliament aims to improve biosecurity preparedness and responses.

Issue 18, 30 October 2023

The federal government's Nature Repair Market Bill won't come before the Senate for debate until at least late April next year, following a decision to extend the reporting date for a Senate committee inquiry into the Bill from 1 November this year to 18 April next year.

Bids are open until 1 November in the latest reverse auction for contracts to sell biodiversity credits to the NSW Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund.

Issue 17, 23 October 2023

Emerging carbon and nature markets will be pivotal in encouraging landholders to go beyond mere compliance with native vegetation protection laws, according to a Queensland government response to an independent review of land clearing in the state.

The report of the panel, led by Professor Hugh Possingham and with members including Professor Andrew Macintosh, as well as the government's response, are now available.

The panel proposes an 'engage, inform, incentivise and reward' approach. It says changing legislation can cause panic clearing, and there are now greater opportunities for landowners to benefit by protecting biodiversity and storing carbon.

"Queensland has an opportunity to become a world leader in carbon- and biodiversity-friendly farming and to realise a significant market advantage as a result," the panel says.

After three auction rounds, the NSW Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund is on track to out-do initial expectations that it would purchase and re-sell biodiversity credits worth $200 million in its first three years of operation, says a new market update from the Department of Planning and Environment.

Since the Supply Fund commenced operations, 11% of credits purchased through the biodiversity market have been through the Supply Fund, representing 21% of the total market value, the update says.

Issue 16, 9 October 2023

Environmental markets business GreenCollar has issued its first NaturePlus credits - a total of 8,557 credits generated from a sustainable grazing and carbon farming project in western NSW, with Queensland-based credits soon to follow.

Each NaturePlus credit represents habitat or species restoration or conservation outcomes achieved over one hectare. NaturePlus projects are registered under the independently developed Accounting for Nature framework.

The AfN framework sets the overarching standard for measuring the trend in ecological health for different environmental assets (such as agricultural soils, native vegetation, and fauna).

Credits generated across a land or seascape are categorised into tiers according to whether they overlap areas of state, national or international significance. GreenCollar has also released the NaturePlus Standard, guide, and claims guidance.

An independent review of the NaturePlus scheme is also one of three new documents on voluntary biodiversity credit schemes released by Pollination Group.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has released issue two of its Biodiversity Credits Catalogue, which lists credtis for sale and contains landholder stewardship stories.

Issue 14, 25 September 2023

DCCEEW has released reports on pilot TNFD-aligned disclosures of nature-related impacts and dependencies in five value chains - critical minerals; gas extraction for industrial manufacturing; beef and salmon; property development and construction; and cotton.

The Australian and US governments have signed a joint statement pledging cooperation on natural capital accounting.

Transcript of the 11 September hearing of a Senate inquiry into the Nature Repair Market Bill is now available, featuring testimony from the National Farmers Federation, the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, and the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative.

Grant opportunity. The Victorian government is offering second-round grants under the Nature Fund, which promotes collaboration with private and philanthropic groups. A total of $3.5 million is on offer. Expressions of interest are due by 6 November.

Issue 13, 18 September 2023

DCCEEW has released an interim guideline for organisations seeking to draft new methods for creating ACCUs, for consideration by the new Carbon Abatement Integrity Committee.

The Chubb review of the ACCU scheme recommended that proponents be allowed to develop and propose new methods for the creation of ACCUs.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has released a step-by-step guide to using the Biodiversity Values Map and Threshold tool.

The NSW government has ordered a halt to logging in key koala habitat areas that are expected to form part of a new Great Koala National Park on the Mid-North Coast.

Issue 12, 11 September 2023

A Senate inquiry into the Nature Repair Market Bill will hold its second hearing this evening, with the National Farmers Federation, the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute, and the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation scheduled to give evidence.

A Senate committee inquiring into climate-related marine invasive species is due to release its report tomorrow.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has released an updated threat abatement plan for feral cats.

The WA EPA has recommended that the Conservation and Parks Commission's proposed Forest Management Plan for 2024-2033 be approved, subject to an independent scientific review of prescribed burning.

Following the state government’s decision to end the logging of native forests, the proposed Plan largely focuses on the management of forest ecosystems to address threats, reduce pressures, and protect intact ecosystems over the next 10 years.

Issue 11, 4 September 2023

The NSW EPA has issued a stop work order to the NSW Forestry Corporation, requiring it to cease harvesting in parts of the Tallagana State Forest, following the death of a Southern Greater Glider.

Issue 10, 28 August 2023

The federal government has struck a new agreement with the NSW, South Australian and ACT governments to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, including 450 gigalitres of water for the environment, although by the delayed deadline of the end of 2027.

Legislation to implement the new agreement will be introduced into federal Parliament next month. The Victorian government does not support the new agreement, nor does the National Farmers Federation.

The federal government has confirmed that the first Global Nature Positive Summit will be held in Sydney next October. The summit will focus on transparency and reporting, investment in nature, and partnerships and capacity development.

Work is under way to submit a bid to the federal government early next year seeking funding to establish a Nature Positive Economy Cooperative Research Centre.

The Australian National Audit Office has released an audit of DCCEEW's implementation of the wildlife and habitat bushfire recovery program, finding the department's administration of the program was largely effective.

The Wilderness Society has released a report commissioned from EY that examines financial investment from the EU and North America into sectors that constitute a deforestation and forest degradation risk in Australia.

The report of the NSW Independent Review of the Biodiversity Conservation Act has been tabled in state Parliament, along with the Final Report of the Statutory Review of the native vegetation provisions (Part 5A and Schedule 5A and Schedule 5B) of NSW's Local Land Services Act 2013.

Meanwhile, NSW's Department of Planning and Environment has released a summary of public submissions received by the review of the Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The ACT government has released Caring for Dhawura Ngunnawal, its natural resource management plan for the next 20 years.

Grant opportunity. The state government has launched a $3 million pilot grant program, providing assistance to landowners in the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) region interested in 'environmental plantings' carbon farming projects.

Issue 9, 21 August 2023

DCCEEW is seeking expressions of interest from leading scientists interested in joining the Threatened Species Scientific Committee.

The federal government has released a new feral deer action plan.

The latest reverse auction for the purchase of NSW biodiversity credits, held in June and July, has resulted in the NSW Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund offering to buy 21,000 credits, for a total of $44.5 million. The next reverse auction will be held in October.

Issue 8, 14 August 2023

Consultation opportunity. The NSW government is seeking feedback by 11 September on a proposed amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan that would allow aerial shooting of feral horses.

The NSW government has invited expressions of interest (closing 8 September) from landholders in the Upper Hunter interested in receiving annual payments in exchange for implementing an agreed conservation management plan.

The EOI process for the Upper Hunter conservation tender will be followed by a bidding process that will start early next year. A related speech by Biodiversity Conservation Trust CEO Erin Giuliani is available here.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has released a document explaining the area clearing threshold that determines when the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme is triggered.

There are two triggers - whether the amount of native vegetation being cleared exceeds a threshold area, and whether the impacts occur on an area mapped on the state's Biodiversity Values Map.

Issue 7, 7 August 2023

The Queensland government says its latest 'SLATS' study of tree-clearing in the state shows the clearing of regulated vegetation reduced from about 98,000 hectares in 2019-20 to 61,000 hectares in 2020-21. However, the Wilderness Society said the scale of clearing in the state is still too high.

New data from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment shows a 7% decrease in hectares of native vegetation clearing in 2021, compared to 2020. The data also shows a 15% increase in clearing for agricultural purposes, a 35% decrease for native forest harvesting, and a 21% decrease in clearing for infrastructure. The state government will take the results into account in formulating its response to the review of the Biodiversity Conservation Act, which is due to be completed this month.

The Victorian government has granted approval for Wind Prospect's 350MW Willatook wind farm near Port Fairy, with the Clean Energy Council criticising conditions that require construction to be suspended during the breeding season of the Brolga, which is a listed threatened species, and for larger buffers to protect the Brolga and the Southern Bent-wing Bat.

Issue 6, 31 July 2023

Queensland's Department of Environment and Science has suggested that a working group of federal, state and territory governments be established to work on the design of a nature repair market framework that aligns with related reforms, such as the Chubb review recommendations and EPBC Act changes.

It makes the suggestion in answers to questions on notice submitted to a Senate committee inquiry into the Nature Repair Market Bill.

NSW Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe has released the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust’s Investing in Private Land Conservation plan, which outlines key investment priorities for private land conservation, and has also released an executive summary.

The WA government has awarded carbon farming grants totalling $2.15 million to eight farming businesses.

Issue 5, 23 July 2023

Consultation opportunity. The NSW Department of Planning and Environment is seeking submissions by 11 August to its five-yearly review of the Biodiversity Assessment Method.

Issue 4, 17 July 2023

Grant opportunity. Farmers and other landholders in Queensland can now apply for the next round of funding under the state's Carbon Farming Advice Scheme, which provides grants of up to $10,000 to obtain carbon farming advice from a Land Restoration Fund approved advisor.

The WA government has issued a new strategy to manage feral cats.

Issue 3, 10 July 2023

Consultation opportunity. Submissions are due by 4 August to an IPART issues paper on NSW's biodiversity credit market.

The Queensland Audit Office has released a report on managing invasive species, which recommends a review of the Biosecurity Act 2014.

Statutory Development. South Australia's Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Susan Close, has introduced the Pastoral Land Management and Conservation (Use of Pastoral Land) Amendment Bill, wwhich ensures that pastoral leases can be used for carbon farming and conservation.

Issue 2, 3 July 2023

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced "a full audit" of more than 1,000 offset sites approved over the past 20 years, to ensure they are meeting their obligations.

The Senate committee inquiry into the Nature Repair Market Bill held a public hearing on Friday.

Bids opened 28 June and will close 12 July for the third Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund reverse auction, which seeks to buy credits that are on a target list.

The NSW government has released a briefing on probity and transparency arrangements relating to the operation of the Biodiversity Credits Supply Taskforce and Credits Supply Fund.

The Victorian government has instructed the Victorian Environmental Assessment Act to assess the values of the Immediate Protection Areas in the Central Highlands and East Gippsland, and in adjacent state forests in eastern Victoria.

Consultation opportunity. The NT EPA is inviting submissions on whether to assess the proposed clearing of 4,517 hectares of land on Mathison Station, with comments due by 26 July.

Issue 1, 26 June 2023

The Nature Repair Market Bill has passed the Legislative Assembly, with amendments, and is now in the Senate.

The Albanese government has thrown its support behind a new agriculture investment vehicle, Wilga Farming, that will promote the use of low-emissions technologies and carbon sequestration across Australian farmland. The CEFC will invest $50 million, in Wilga Farming, which owns a 1200-hectare property in NSW, to support a range of initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and improve productivity. Wilga Farming will be managed by Gunn Agri Partners.

Grant opportunity. Applications are open until 24 July for grants to land managers under the $17.5 million federal Carbon Farming Outreach program.

The NSW Audit Office has released a report on Native Public Forestry Regulation, and the state's EPA has accepted all four recommendations.

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust and WWF have partnered on a program that will support 10 landholders to permanently conserve about 500 hectares of koala habitat in the Northern Rivers region.

The Western Australian government has gazetted the first listing of threatened ecological communities under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Test issue, 20 June 2023

Debate has started in the House of Representatives on the Nature Repair Market Bill.

The reporting deadline for two inquiries by the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee have been extended from 30 June to 6 December – the inquiry into the Greens' Climate Trigger Bill and the inquiry into the Greens' Save the Koala Bill.

The South Australian Budget provides funding to establish BioData SA, which will overhaul data held by the state and guide decision-making on biodiversity protection and restoration programs.

Test issue, 14 June 2023

Have your say!
Submissions are due by 1 June to the Senate inquiry into the Nature Repair Market Bill.

The Senate inquiry into the EPBC Amendment (Save the Koala) Bill will report by June 30.

Have your say!
Submissions are due by April 28 to a Senate inquiry into managing feral horses in the Australian Alps.