Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established
Please provide details below.
The Australian Government mechanism for national environment protection and biodiversity conservation is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The EPBC Act provides for:
identification and listing of Threatened Species and Threatened Ecological Communities;
recognition of Key Threatening Processes; and where appropriate,
reducing these processes through Threat Abatement Plans.
The EPBC Act provides for nomination by members of the public of species and ecological communities for listing. Nominations are assessed by a Threatened Species Scientific Committee. The EPBC Act also allows for the development of a Register of Critical Habitat. In addition to the requirements of the EPBC Act, development of action plans and conservation overviews, that provide information on the status of a large group of related organisms, can also assist in the listing of threatened species and ecological communities.
Categories of national conservation status established by the EPBC Act
When the EPBC Act became law the national list of threatened species, ecological communities and threatening processes consisted only of those previously listed under the preceeding Endangered Species Protection Act 1992. Under the EPBC Act, new categories have been added for listed threatened species and ecological communities. “Critically endangered”, “conservation dependant” and “extinct in the wild” have been added to the previous categories of “endangered”, “vulnerable” and “extinct”. For ecological communities, “critically endangered” and “vulnerable” have been added to the previous category of “endangered”.
New nominations for species and ecological communities are assessed and listed under the EPBC Act by a Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC), according to the criteria for the new categories. The TSSC is reconsidering the status of the initial national list of threatened species and communities, in line with new or refined EPBC categories, as information is updated and made available for assessment.
Every year the Department of the Environment and Heritage sponsors and supports many special events, including National Threatened Species Day on September 7. More information can be found at:
Information and Resources
Categories of national conservation status established by the EPBC Act
More threatened species information
State and territory Internet sites
Where invasive alien species are implicated in the decline or vulnerability of native species, the Australian Government, through the Department of the Environment and Heritage’s administration of the EPBC Act, can:
list Key Threatening Processes:
develop and implement Threat Abatement Plans (TAPs).
II) National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been
established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
Regional Forest Agreements have specific provisions for the management, protection and restoration of threatened or priority species and management of threatening processes.
Mountain
X
III) Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and strategies?
Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes
X (regional targets)
Please provide details below.
In relation to c) see 1.1 (I) above)
IV) Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
See Box II above.
V) Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
See Target 1.1 (V) above. Trends in forest-dwelling species are provided through indicators 1.2a, 1.2b and 1.2c in the Australia’s State of the Forest Report 2003.
VI) Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
VII) Please provide any other relevant information.
Target 2.2
Status of threatened species improved
I) National target: Has a national target been established corresponding to the global target above?
No
X
Yes, the same as the global target
Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established
X
Please provide details below.
See Target 2.1 above.
II) National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been
established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
Programme of work
Yes
No
Details
Agricultural
X
Inland water
X
See target 1.1 (II) above
Marine and coastal
X
See target 1.1 (II) above
Dry and subhumid land
X
See target 1.1 (II) above
Forest
X
See target 2.1 (II) above
Mountain
X
III) Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and
strategies?
No
Yes, into national biodiversity strategy and action plan
X (national target)
Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes
X (regional targets)
Please provide details below.
In relation to c) see 1.1 (I) above)
IV) Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
See Box II, above.
V) Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
Trends in forest-dwelling species are provided through indicators 1.2a, 1.2b and 1.2c in Australia’s State of the Forest Report 2003.
VI) Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
A key challenge to improve the status of threatened species is to ensure that recovery actions for nationally threatened species and ecological communities are integrated with other on-ground natural resource management activities being undertaken by landholders, community groups and regional organisations. This challenge is being addressed in a number of ways such as ensuring regional organisations have access to information on threatened species in their regions, and skilling natural resource management networks in threatened species issues.
VII) Please provide any other relevant information.
Goal 3
Promote the conservation of genetic diversity
Target 3.1
Genetic diversity of crops, livestock, and of harvested species of trees, fish and wildlife and other valuable species conserved, and associated indigenous and local knowledge maintained
I) National target: Has a national target been established corresponding to the global target above?
No
X
Yes, the same as the global target
Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established
Please provide details below.
II) National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been
established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
Programme of work
Yes
No
Details
Agricultural
Inland water
Marine and coastal
Dry and subhumid land
Forest
Mountain
III) Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and
strategies?
No
Yes, into national biodiversity strategy and action plan
Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes
Please provide details below.
IV) Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
See Box II, above.
V) Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
Trends in forest genetics are reported in Australia’s State of the Forest Report 2003 in indicators 1.3a and 1.3b.
VI) Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
VII) Please provide any other relevant information.
