Australia - Overview

Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services

Australia’s biodiversity is both rich and unique; between 7 and 10 per cent of all species on Earth occur in Australia. A report prepared for the Australian Biological Resources Study in 2009 estimated that 566,398 species exist in the country. Australia’s biodiversity has developed largely in isolation over many millions of years, making it one of the world’s megadiverse countries with a high level of endemism across a broad range of taxa... More »

Main pressures on and drivers of change to biodiversity (direct and indirect)

Major threats to biodiversity include climate change and enhanced climate variability; loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitats; introduction and spread of invasive alien species (Australia is host to 56 invasive vertebrate animal species and 32 invasive plants species defined as weeds of national significance); marine and coastal pollution; altered hydrology; inappropriate grazing and fire regimes; and population growth and the competing pressure of economic development.

Biodiversity has declined since European settlement, and information on environmental pressures suggest that many species continue to decrease in both population size and genetic diversity... More »

Implementation of the NBSAP

A revised strategy for the 2010-2030 period (Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030) was agreed in October 2010. The vision of this Strategy is that Australia's biodiversity is healthy and resilient to threats, and valued both in its own right and for its essential contribution to human existence. The Strategy contains the following 10 interim national targets for implementation in the first five-year period (i.e... More »

Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Australia has a range of policies and programs in place to address ongoing decline in biodiversity and to meet targets for secure conservation of biodiversity. The Australia State of the Environment Report 2011 found that, as a result of this commitment, some improvements can be observed, for example in the area of adoption of sustainable agriculture practices... More »

Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) focuses national interests on the protection of matters of national environmental significance, with the states and territories having responsibility for matters of state and local significance. The EPBC Act is the primary mechanism at the national level for ensuring that environmental considerations, including biodiversity, are considered in planning and decision-making processes across all sectors... More »

Mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing implementation

The Australian Government monitors progress in achieving biodiversity outcomes over time through regular reporting by the delivery agents. Various monitoring tools have also been elaborated in the framework of sectoral programs and action plans (e.g. Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030 and Australia’s Native Vegetation Framework) and progress against targets will be publicly reported... More »