Federal Government launches 10 year conservation plan for threatened species

With ambitious targets, Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek has today released the Threatened Species Action Plan: Towards Zero Extinctions - setting out a pathway for threatened species conservation and recovery over the next 10 years.

The Action Plan includes preventing any new extinctions of plants and animals, and protecting and conserving at least 30% of Australia’s land mass.

By prioritising 110 species and 20 places, the Plan will drive action where it is needed most and will deliver flow-on benefits to other threatened plants and animals in the same habitats

The need for action to protect our plants, animals and ecosystems from extinction has never been greater. This was highlighted in the State of the Environment Report.

The government is committed to protecting threatened species and is spending $224.5 million on the Saving Native Species program to boost outcomes for threatened native plants and animals.

The priority species and places have been identified by independent scientists who applied prioritisation principles, including risk of extinction, multiple benefits, and uniqueness.

Minister Plibersek today also announced listing decisions for 20 threatened species and three threatened ecological communities.

15 species and three ecological communities have been added to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act list of threatened species. Four species have been upgraded to a higher threat category, while one species will retain its current threat category.

A comprehensive statutory Conservation Advice is now in place to guide protection for all the species and communities listed.

Many of these species were very badly affected by the recent Black Summer Bushfires.

Minister Plibersek notes “the Threatened Species Action Plan strengthens our commitment to stopping the extinction of Australia’s plants and animals.

“These are the strongest targets we’ve ever seen.

“Based on input from researchers and experts from the community, this plan identifies 20 priority places and 110 priority species and will guide recovery actions that will benefit a broad range of threatened species and their habitats.

“Our native wildlife continues to be threatened by climate change, by natural disasters, by feral predators, and by human activity.

“The Black Summer bushfires in particular have seen devastating results for many species. We are determined to give wildlife a better chance.

“Listing species as threatened under national environment law is a critical step in protecting the species and habitats in need of urgent help.

“Our current approach has not been working. If we keep doing what we've been doing, we'll keep getting the same results. Australia is the mammal extinction capital of the world.

“The need for action has never been greater.

“I will not shy away from difficult problems or accept environmental decline and extinction as inevitable.”

View the action plan at dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/threatened-species-action-plan-2022-2032.pdf