Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US to use its Environment Protection Agency to inform the establishment of Australia’s own federal environment watch dog.
A statement from Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Thursday said the MoU would provide a new mechanism for the exchange of views on major environmental issues, ensuring Australia’s federal EPA is world class.
“Australia will reap the benefits of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s 53 years of experience. This includes regulating national environment laws to evolve Environment Protection Australia,” it said.
According to the MoU, the two countries will initially focus on Australia’s plan to create a federal EPA as part of its Nature Positive plan, and will then expand to share information and knowledge on a range of areas of mutual interest.
These areas include the development and implementation of environmental laws and regulation, the enforcement of those laws, and associated regulatory activities.
“A strong relationship on environmental issues will also mean that both countries can learn from each other. This will help create stronger, more innovative evidence-based policy as we share data and information,” Australia said.
Broader themes that have been defined as a mutual area of interest include climate change adaptation and mitigation, the circular economy, and approaches to protecting human health and the environment.
Exchanging information on approaches such as market-based mechanisms an investments will also be an area of interest. according to the document.
The MoU will also assist in working with First Nations peoples, and recognises their significant knowledge of Australia’s environment, the government said.
Senior officials will engage in talks periodically on strategic issues to strengthen environmental cooperation and monitor, review, and evaluate progress of the MOU’s implementation, the agreement said.
Periodic work plans are intended to be established to implement specific activities as part of the agreement, but funding commitments were specifically not included in the document.
It comes as Australia is in the process of overhauling its national environmental laws, as it looks to establish a federal EPA and Environment Information Australia to govern and monitor the updated legal and regulatory regime.
By Mark Tilly – mark@carbon-pulse.com
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