Halt and reverse nature loss from a 2020 baseline, so that by 2030 species and ecosystems are transparently, measurably recovering.
Environment & ClimateBiodiversity
Environment & Climate · BiodiversityMost of it lives nowhere else on Earth. Let's keep it that way.
Australia holds 7.8% of the world’s described species, and most of them live here and nowhere else. Yet the trend has run the wrong way for two decades — while barely a sliver of the federal budget reaches biodiversity. This is the plan to bend that line back, measurably, by 2030.
7.8% of the world's species live here Over 90% of our plants, frogs and reptiles — and 80% of mammals — live nowhere else on Earth.
2–3%/yr fall in threatened populations Sustained at this rate every single year for the past two decades.
$4bn/yr for threatened-species recovery Our plan lifts Commonwealth recovery funding to at least $4 billion a year.
0.1% of the budget reaches biodiversity Less than one-thousandth — and funding fell 25% relative to GDP over a decade.
See the decline. Then fund the turnaround.
Drag through the years to trace the 2–3% annual fall in threatened-species populations the policy reports over two decades — then apply recovery funding and watch the curve bend back toward its 2020 baseline.
Decline rate (−2–3%/yr) is drawn from the policy; the recovery curve is illustrative, keyed to the plan's 2020 baseline and its 2030 recovery goal.
The plan at a glance
Lift Commonwealth threatened-species recovery funding to at least $4 billion a year for our most at-risk plants, animals and fungi.
A $5 billion fund to purchase land with high biodiversity value, backed by support for private land conservation programs.
Real recovery action for the 1,700+ threatened species and ecosystems already listed under the EPBC Act — lists, then results.
End native forest logging permanently, and end the clearing of remnant native vegetation by 2030.
Two versions of 2030
One path keeps totting up the losses; the other funds the recovery.
On current settings
- Threatened populations fall 2–3% a year — and have for two decades
- Under 0.1% of the federal budget reaches biodiversity
- Funding has slid 25% relative to GDP over the past decade
- Native forest logging and remnant clearing carry on
The Democrats' plan
- Halt and reverse nature loss from a 2020 baseline, recovering by 2030
- $4 billion a year for threatened-species recovery
- A $5 billion fund to buy land with high biodiversity value
- Native forest logging ended permanently; remnant clearing ends by 2030
The full policy
Word for word — the platform as our members wrote it.
The Issues
Australia is a megadiverse continent supporting 7.8% of the world’s described species. More than 90% of our vascular plants, frogs, and reptiles, and more than 80% of our mammals are endemic.
Threatened species populations have declined by 2-3% a year for the past 20 years.
The Labor Government committed to end extinctions and expand protected areas to cover 30% of every Australian ecosystem by 2030. This is part of its Nature Positive Plan, aligned with the 2022 Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity pact. The goal is not just to conserve nature but to restore what is being lost.
However, the Federal budget allocated more money to doubtful carbon capture and storage than to biodiversity. Research shows that less than 0.1% of the budget spend will support biodiversity in some way. Over the past decade, biodiversity funding went down 25% relative to GDP.
Our Plan
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Fund to halt and reverse nature loss from a baseline of 2020, by increasing the health, abundance, diversity and resilience of species, populations and ecosystems so that by 2030, nature is transparently and measurably on the path of recovery
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Act on protecting the more than 1,700 threatened species and ecosystems listed under the EPBC Act
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Increase Commonwealth funding for threatened species recovery to at least $4 billion/year to recover our most threatened native plants, animals and fungi
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Develop clear long-term - 25 years minimum - management that delivers in-situ biodiversity conservation outcomes
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Create a $5 billion fund to purchase land with high biodiversity values
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Support private land conservation programs
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Cease native forest logging permanently by 2025 and end clearing of remnant native vegetation by 2030
At a personal level, you can help by:
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Reducing your use of fossil fuels
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Eating less beef and lamb and choosing sustainable seafood products
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Choosing biodiversity-friendly investments
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Planting and maintaining a wildlife garden or join a friends group that revegetates land with indigenous species
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Keeping your dog on the leash in natural areas
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Desexing and keeping your cat indoors
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Supporting controls on pest feral animals and invasive species
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Reducing your light pollution
The Evidence
The Biodiversity Convention (signed by Australia) reports:
Although Australia retains much of the estimated original extent of native vegetation cover, its condition is variable and masks an underlying issue in the decline of many ecological communities. Vegetation clearance has not been evenly spread across Australia and, consequently, some individual vegetation communities now occupy less than 1% of their original estimated extent and many others are highly fragmented. In some cases, the threats to the condition and extent of these and other native vegetation communities are ongoing. Concerted action will be required to reduce this decline, especially as this is a challenge that is likely to be further complicated by climate change. The Australia State of the Environment Report 2011 provides details on the continental extent of Australian vegetation.
— Convention on Biological Diversity
The CSIRO State of the Climate report on the future warns of more heat and fewer cold extremes, a decrease in cool season rainfall, a rise in short-duration, heavy-rainfall events, more dangerous fire weather days and a longer fire season for southern and eastern Australia. There will be sea level rises, warming and acidification of oceans around Australia, increased and longer lasting marine heatwaves. These changes will doubtless result in further decline of biodiversity.
A conservative estimate is that 1.25 billion animals and 100 billion insects died in recent fires in Victoria. Climate change contributed to the inferno through drought, extreme temperatures, dry lightning strikes and unique fire weather systems. By the end of January 2020, more than 10 million hectares had been burnt.
Labor’s Nature Positive Plan
References
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Biodiversity Council 2024/25 Pre-budget Submission
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Show nature the money! Here are 9 things to look out for in the budget
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Convention on Biological Diversity report: Australia: Financing for Biodiversity 2019
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Australia is not doing enough to preserve biodiversity
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NSW biodiversity reforms signal progress, but gaps still exist
Make it happen.
Policies like this only become law when enough people push. Push with us.