Australian Environment Ministers agree on strong new actions

The Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek today chaired a meeting of Australia’s Environment Ministers in Sydney.

In a united push to build a nature positive future and drive Australia’s transition to a circular economy, the Ministers agreed to:

• work together to stop lithium batteries ending up in landfill and causing dangerous fires
• better and easier ways to stop or deal with waste from tyres and packaging
• cracking down on feral goats and escaped garden plants
• incorporating ambitious national targets into Australia’s updated Strategy for Nature under the Convention on Biological Diversity, including no new extinctions and restoring priority areas by 2030
• Australia’s first national framework for recognising ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ (OECMs), helping us reach our target to protect 30 per cent of land by 2030 by increasing conservation outside national parks.

The full communique was agreed to by all Ministers and can be found here.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek MP: 

“I’m committed to not only protecting nature but leaving it better off for future generations.

“After a decade of Coalition neglect, our government is turning things around.

“I’m heartened by the strong environmental leadership of Environment Ministers in their states and territories, and their agreement to ambitious national targets. 

“We’re taking strong action to protect and conserve 30 per cent of our land by 2030.

“We’re working together to stop lithium batteries ending up in landfill and causing dangerous fires.

“We’re making recycling easier for families and businesses.

“We’re taking action on feral species.

“We’re driving a circular economy in partnership with governments and businesses.

“There’s a lot to do and we’re making great progress.

“I look forward to continuing to work with my state and territory colleagues to build a nature positive Australia – protecting and repairing nature for our kids and grandkids.”