7 October 2024

Without leading the way with significant government funding, Australia will fall far short of its own
biodiversity protection goals.

This week, Australia will host the first Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney, aimed at boosting
private sector investment in nature repair.

The summit is part of the commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,
which has a target of US$200 billion per year for nature protection and restoration by 2030 to
protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans (30 by 30).

Financing from all sources must increase dramatically to meet the ambitious 30 by 30 target.
Catalyzing private sector investment is important but significant government funding will be critical
to achieving 30 by 30 and ensuring a healthy future for people and nature.

Jason Lyddieth, National Protected Areas Manager for the Pew Charitable Trusts:
“We welcome the initiative of hosting the first ever Global Nature Positive Summit but claims the
Federal Government will ‘lead the way’ for Australia is missing the crucial piece – funding. The
government needs to walk its own talk when it comes to nature protection.

Just last week the Federal Government released their updated Strategy for Nature 2024-2030. It’s
great to see an ambitious strategy that reaffirms Australia’s commitment to protect and conserve
30% of its land and marine areas by 2030, but we are deeply concerned that without a detailed
action plan and substantial funding, it will fail to achieve its own objectives for protecting
Australia’s biodiversity.

Right now, the Australian government allocates just 0.1% of total spending on protecting
Australia’s unique and vulnerable nature. This is completely inadequate to stop extinctions and
achieve our 30 by 30 commitments.

If just 1% of federal spending was dedicated to protecting nature, we would be well on the way to
stopping extinctions and ensuring nature is healthy for future generations. The public support this
too. Research conducted by the Biodiversity Council shows 95% of Australians support increased
federal investment in nature.

As part of this funding goal, we need to see the establishment of a new dedicated $5 billion fund for
the purchase of land of high biodiversity importance to create new public, private or Indigenous
protected areas.

Australia is a global nature hotspot facing urgent threats. We lead the world in mammal
extinctions, are the only developed nation on the global list of deforestation hotspots, and 19 of our
ecosystems are showing signs of collapse.

Not only is nature essential to our health and wellbeing, for our food and water, but at least 50% of
our GDP is deeply dependent on nature.”

The Pew Charitable Trusts is a member of the 30 by 30 Alliance, a national network of conservation,
land management and scientific experts.