National Biodiversity Strategy Review Task Group process
The review process
The task group reviewed the strategy by:
- seeking feedback on the 1996 strategy through consultation with the community, including Indigenous peoples, and with key stakeholders across Australia in face-to-face meetings, the circulation of a discussion paper, workshops, focus groups and phone interviews.
- seeking feedback on the original strategy, and on challenges and opportunities for biodiversity conservation, from different levels of government, including through national committees with responsibility for a diverse set of environment issues and natural resource management responsibilities
- reflecting on the effectiveness of the National Objectives and Targets for Biodiversity Conservation 2001-2005 (DEH 2001) and lessons learnt from the implementation of the 1996 strategy
- commissioning research into
- the community's understanding and awareness of the importance of biodiversity
- the consistency between the goals of the national biodiversity policy (the original strategy and national objectives), state/territory, industry and local government biodiversity strategies.
The task group also examined a number of reports, developed through various national, state and territory processes, on the condition of Australia's biodiversity. These reports are outlined below.
The Biodiversity Decline Working Group
The Biodiversity Decline Working Group was established in 2004 to report to the NRMMC on the underlying causes of decline in terrestrial biodiversity in Australia. The working group report, A national approach to biodiversity decline, identified three broad issues as the main threats to biodiversity; these are also areas where strategic investment would lead to long-term improvements to biodiversity assets.
- loss of habitat values and ecosystem function
- spread of invasive species
- climate change.
The Marine Biodiversity Decline Working Group
The Marine Biodiversity Decline Working Group was established in 2006 by the NRMMC to report on the underlying causes of decline in marine biodiversity in Australia. The working group report, A national approach to addressing marine biodiversity decline, identified five key threats to marine biodiversity: unsustainable resource use; climate change; land-based impacts; marine invasive species; and pollution.
State of the environment reporting
State of the environment reporting, at the national, and state and territory level, provides information about biodiversity conditions, trends and pressures for the Australian continent, the surrounding seas and Australia's external territories. The reports are prepared every five years, and, where possible, the reports are based on data and information gathered and interpreted against environmental indicators.
The National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA)
The NLWRA was established in 1997 to provide baseline assessments of Australia's natural resources as a basis for improved decision making in natural resource management. The NLWRA had a particular focus on coordinating national collations of accessible information on Australia's natural resources. An Australian terrestrial biodiversity assessment was carried out by the NLWRA in 2002.
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