The Australian Government is developing a nature repair market to encourage investment in biodiversity and drive environmental improvements across Australia.
The Australian Government has committed to protecting 30% of Australia’s environment by 2030. The same goals have been adopted globally under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. These goals reinforce the findings of the 2021 State of the Environment Report, which confirmed that significant investment in conservation and restoration is needed to reverse the decline in Australia’s environment.
The scale of the task is beyond government and individual landholders. Business and private sector investment can make a significant contribution. Companies are looking for ways to achieve positive outcomes for nature through their investments but a national framework to facilitate that investment is not yet in place. The nature repair market will be based on science and underpinned by legislation to ensure its integrity and will encourage investment in biodiversity and drive environmental improvements across Australia.
First Nations people have cared for country for thousands of years and the biodiversity we enjoy today is a product of their stewardship.
The nature repair market is designed to enable participation by First Nations people and ensure free, prior and informed consent to projects on their land. Projects could include traditional land management to protect and improve biodiversity as well as land restoration.
First Nations people can participate in the market by undertaking projects that deliver biodiversity improvements or protect biodiversity. They could also provide on-ground management services or advice to support nature repair projects managed by others.
Biodiversity projects may be additional to existing carbon projects on an area of land. Projects could include management of feral animals, and weed and fire regimes that improve biodiversity in a carbon sequestration project.
The nature repair market will make it easier for businesses, organisations, governments and individuals to invest in projects to protect, manage and restore nature. The Nature Repair Market Bill (the Bill) will ensure the market has integrity – so investors and the public can have confidence that projects will deliver lasting protection, genuine restoration and measurable improvements in biodiversity.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is currently seeking regional feedback on the draft Nature Repair Market Bill. This is to ensure the Bill has the right scope to operate as a framework, establish governance systems and high integrity methods for undertaking projects, transparency in the market and compliance arrangements for projects. Your feedback will help ensure the nature repair market is appropriately designed and that the framework will support its growth and evolution.
Head to the Australian Government website to have your say.