With four years left to meet Australia’s commitment of protecting 30% of its land by 2030, this update report reviews how governments have acted on existing expert reports and recommendations, showing mixed progress.
Conservation on private land is one of Australia's greatest opportunities to reverse nature decline and achieve the national commitment to protect 30% of land by 2030.
ALCA's new report looks at how Australian Commonwealth, State and Territory governments have acted on existing pathway and recommendation reports - and the national roadmap - and identifies where further action is needed.
Overall, progress has been mixed. While some issues have not seen any progress, there have been some key areas of success. These include:
- an additional $250m in Commonwealth funding for 30 by 30 on land
- new, albeit limited, Commonwealth funding for state and territory conservation covenant programs
- Commonwealth commitment and efforts to develop a Protect and Conserve Method for the Nature Repair Market
- South Australia unambiguously reconfirming a pathway for covenant covenants on pastoral leases
- a Tasmanian and Commonwealth partnership to rebuild, reinvigorate and modernise the Tasmanian conservation covenant program.
The key pathway opportunities which are assessed in the report are:
- a dedicated fund for conservation land purchase
- expanded support for conservation covenants
- enhanced protection conservation covenants to drive investment
- tax and financial incentives for private land conservation
- cross-cutting policy opportunities for private land conservation
