Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Subject

Environment gen., Fisheries, Forestry, Land & soil, Water, Wild species & ecosystems

Keyword

Basic legislation Institution Ecosystem preservation Environmental planning Authorization/permit EIA Wetlands Inspection Offences/penalties Biodiversity Sustainable development Traditional knowledge/indigenous knowledge Indigenous peoples Policy/planning Marine fisheries Protection of species Research Traditional rights/customary rights Fishery management and conservation Protected area Freshwater pollution Pollution control Migratory species Alien species Endangered species Marine mammals National parks Marine protected areas Access and benefit-sharing Marine area

Geographical area

Asia and the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Indian Ocean, Oceania, South Pacific

Entry into force notes

This Act enters into force on 25 August 2017.

Abstract

The purpose of this Act is to maintain a healthy, productive and resilient environment for the greatest well-being of the community, now and into the future, consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development (described in section 6 (2) of the Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991), and in particular: a) to conserve biodiversity at bioregional and State scales; b) to maintain the diversity and quality of ecosystems and enhance their capacity to adapt to change and provide for the needs of future generations; c) to improve, share and use knowledge, including local and traditional Aboriginal ecological knowledge, about biodiversity conservation; d) to support biodiversity conservation in the context of a changing climate; e) to support collating and sharing data, and monitoring and reporting on the status of biodiversity and the effectiveness of conservation actions; f) to assess the extinction risk of species and ecological communities, and identify key threatening processes, through an independent and rigorous scientific process; g) to regulate human interactions with wildlife by applying a risk-based approach; h) to support conservation and threat abatement action to slow the rate of biodiversity loss and conserve threatened species and ecological communities in nature; i) to support and guide prioritised and strategic investment in biodiversity conservation; j) to encourage and enable landholders to enter into voluntary agreements over land for the conservation of biodiversity; k) to establish a framework to avoid, minimise and offset the impacts of proposed development and land use change on biodiversity; l) to establish a scientific method for assessing the likely impacts on biodiversity values of proposed development and land use change, for calculating measures to offset those impacts and for assessing improvements in biodiversity values; m) to establish market-based conservation mechanisms through which the biodiversity impacts of development and land use change can be offset at landscape and site scales; n) to support public consultation and participation in biodiversity conservation and decision-making about biodiversity conservation; and o) to make expert advice and knowledge available to assist the Minister in the administration of this Act.

Full text

English

Website

www6.austlii.edu.au

References - Legislation

Implements

Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991.

Legislation | Australia | 1991 (2017)

Keyword: Institution, Environmental planning, Policy/planning

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Amends

National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

Legislation | Australia | 1974 (2018)

Keyword: Protected area, Birds, Endangered species, Wild flora, Institution, Marine mammals, Hunting gear/hunting methods, Wildlife products, Biodiversity, Contract/agreement, Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings, Court/tribunal, Dangerous animal/harmful animal, Hunting authorization/permit, Reptiles, Offences/penalties, Cultural heritage, Protection of species, Indigenous peoples

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Repeals

Nature Conservation Trust Act 2001.

Legislation | Australia | 2001 (2015)

Keyword: Special fund, Education, Indigenous peoples, Cultural heritage, Traditional knowledge/indigenous knowledge

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Legislation | Australia | 1995 (2016)

Keyword: Endangered species, Policy/planning, Protection of habitats, Institution, Classification/declassification, Biodiversity, Protection of species, Indigenous peoples

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Implemented by

Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017.

Legislation | Australia | 2017 (2018)

Keyword: Ecosystem preservation, Environmental planning, Authorization/permit, Wetlands, Inspection, Offences/penalties, Biodiversity, Sustainable development, Indigenous peoples, Policy/planning, Protected area, Migratory species, Alien species, Endangered species, Marine mammals, National parks, Marine protected areas, Access and benefit-sharing, Marine area, Protection of species

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Biodiversity Conservation (Savings and Transitional) Regulation 2017.

Legislation | Australia | 2017 (2018)

Keyword: Ecosystem preservation, Environmental planning, Authorization/permit, Wetlands, Inspection, Offences/penalties, Biodiversity, Sustainable development, EIA, Policy/planning, Wild fauna, Wild flora, Protection of species, Endangered species

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Biodiversity Assessment Method Order 2017.

Legislation | Australia | 2017

Keyword: Institution, Ecosystem preservation, Environmental planning, Authorization/permit, EIA, Wetlands, Inspection, Offences/penalties, Biodiversity, Sustainable development, Policy/planning, Marine fisheries, Protection of species, Research, Fishery management and conservation, Protected area, Freshwater pollution, Pollution control, Migratory species, Alien species, Endangered species, Marine mammals, National parks, Marine protected areas, Access and benefit-sharing, Marine area

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Amended by

COVID-19 Legislation Amendment (Emergency Measures—Miscellaneous) Act 2020 No. 5.

Legislation | Australia | 2020

Keyword: Hazards, Subsidy/incentive, Financing, Social protection, Energy conservation/energy production, Inspection, Access-to-information, Authorization/permit, Data collection/reporting, Monitoring, Community management, Concession, Waste disposal, Waste management, Waste prevention

Source: FAO, FAOLEX