ALCA calls for the immediate cessation of large-scale clearance of native vegetation in New South Wales
The Victorian Government is developing its next Climate Change Strategy for 2026–2030, which will guide how the state reduces emissions and prepares for climate impacts over the coming years. Our submission highlights a major opportunity that is currently under‑utilised: using nature itself - through conservation, restoration and better land management - to help meet climate goals.
Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing Victoria’s wildlife, ecosystems and communities. At the same time, scientific evidence shows that protecting and restoring nature can deliver large-scale climate benefits alongside biodiversity outcomes.
Global research shows that nature‑based solutions could deliver up to one‑third of the emissions reductions needed by 2030, yet only a fraction of global climate funding currently goes to land‑based solutions. With Victoria already investing in energy and transport emissions reduction, this is a critical moment to also scale up climate action through land conservation.
Our submission calls on the Victorian Government to more clearly embed nature‑based solutions within its climate strategy. Key recommendations are around:
- Explicitly recognising conservation and restoration as essential tools for reducing emissions and building climate resilience.
- Elevating nature‑based solutions by including them as a core pillar of the climate strategy
- Recognising the importance of expanding protected areas across private, public and Indigenous land, including through the transition of state forests.
- Scaling up proven programs. leveraging new federal funding, and using existing funding mechanisms, to support conservation on private land.
