Log in

You will be redirected to IUCN Accounts to input your credentials. After log in you will be redirected back to this site.

Rest assured your personal data resides with IUCN and IUCN only. For more information please review our Data policy.

WCC 2020 Rec 039 - Activity Report

Submitted by Stacey.MILLSSMITH on Fri, 09/30/2022 - 09:57
General Information
Australia's extinction crisis and national environmental law reform
IUCN Constituent: 
Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Member
Period covered: 
2022
Country/Territory: 
Australia
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
OtherThe Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities, and heritage places (defined in the EPBC Act as matters of national environmental significance). The second Independent Review of the EPBC Act, led by Professor Graeme Samuel AC, was released in January 2021. The Review found that the EPBC Act required significant reform. The Australian Government has committed to deliver a full response to the Review by the end of 2022, which will include a new national Environment Protection Agency. The Australian Government is also committed to taking action and providing national leadership to protect Australia’s wildlife. The Australian Government has committed to new initiatives, such as the Saving Native Species Program and more funding for Indigenous Protected Areas, to boost outcomes for our wildlife. The Australian Government has also committed to strong action that will contribute to the implementation of the ambitious Post 2020 – Global Biodiversity Framework being developed under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This includes setting a goal to protect and conserve 30% of Australia’s land and 30% of Australia’s oceans by 2030. Australia has a strong track record in protecting areas across our land and ocean. We have one of the world’s largest representative systems of marine protected areas, covering 45% of Australian waters, and we’ve committed to taking further steps to improve the health and biodiversity of Australia’s oceans and the life they support. Our National Reserve System, Australia’s network of terrestrial protected areas, currently covers more than 22% of Australia’s landmass – over 169 million hectares. On-going
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Additional Information
External link(s): 
Independent Review of the EPBC Act - Final Report