The Australian government is seeking feedback on a draft roadmap to show how it will reach its goal of restoring and protect 30% Australia’s land by 2030.
The government’s National Roadmap is being developed in consultation with state and territory governments, and will coordinate action for achieving the national 30 by 30 target, it said.
It follows federal and state environment ministers agreeing on an ambition at a meeting Friday to protect and conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030.
Canberra estimates an extra 60 million hectares of land needs to be protected and conserved to achieve the terrestrial target.
The draft roadmap focusses on land, given that 48% of Australian waters are already protected, however it said opportunities to strengthen marine protection consistent with the 30 by 30 target are being explored through the government’s Sustainable Ocean Plan.
It will act as overarching framework that complements Australia’s Strategy for the National Reserve System 2009-2030, the National Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) Framework, and relevant state and territory policies.
“The contribution of the Australian, state, and territory governments towards achieving the 30 by 30 target will be guided by these documents, and reflect their individual circumstances, priorities, and resources,” the draft roadmap said.
State and territory governments, NGOs, First Nations groups, and philanthropic and private sectors will need to work together to grow protected and conserved areas and support First Nations people to care for country, it added.
It also emphasised the importance of private landholders voluntarily protecting areas of important biodiversity, given that 60% of the country’s land is privately owned and managed, but only 6% of this is protected.
This could have a significant impact because between 70-90% of poorly or unprotected biodiversity occurs on private land, the roadmap said.
CRITERIA, INDICATORS
The roadmap commits to three core principles in order to achieve the 30 by 30 goal, known as Target 3 under the Global Biodiversity Framework that Australia signed in Montreal in 2022.
These principles are:
- Areas are effectively managed and participation of First Nations people is supported
- Areas are ecologically representative, well-connected, and include areas of particular importance
- 30% of Australia’s land is protected or conserved
Australia’s progress towards achieving the target will be tracked against a headline indicator, which the roadmap defined as percentage of landmass protected or conserved.
Three sub-indicators that reflect the three core principles set out in the roadmap will also be used to track progress, which include:
- Percentage of the extent of Protected and Conserved Areas managed or jointly managed by First Nations people
- Increase in ecological representativeness
- Increase protection or conservation of private land
The roadmap also includes criteria on how governments will identify areas with significant biodiversity values and low levels of protection or conservation that could help focus efforts to achieving the 30 by 30 target.
This includes areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, and areas which are ecological comprehensive and representative.
Identifying areas for protection and conservation should also support and prioritise First Nations’ rights and interests, the roadmap said, which would help self-determination and self-governance, integrates First Nation’s people’s knowledge in conservation areas, and connections with country.
It also emphasised that protected and conserved areas should be connected through corridors and integrated into wider landscapes to better withstand stresses and disturbances.
The government is inviting feedback on the draft roadmap until July 19.
By Mark Tilly – mark@carbon-pulse.com
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