Interim Report

Prototype Standard - Threatened Species and Ecological Communities

June 2020

Matter-specific - Threatened Species and Ecological Communities

Appendix 1 - Prototype National Environmental Standard for matters of national environmental significance (MNES). This section provides a prototype standard for Threatened Species and Ecological Communities. This should be read in conjunction with the overarching standards for MNES and the existing requirements of the EPBC Act.

Threatened species and ecological communities are listed under section 178 of the EPBC Act, following a rigorous scientific assessment of their threat status.

Element

Description

Environmental Outcome

The status of threatened species and communities improves over time, through the conservation, management and sustainable use of the environment.

National Standard

For vulnerable species:

  1. No net lossa for vulnerable species habitat.

  2. Actions must manage on-site impacts and threats, where these are not managed through alternative frameworksb.

For endangered species and communities:

  1. No net lossa for endangered species habitat and ecological community distribution.

  2. No detrimental change to the listed critical habitatc of a species or ecological community.

  3. Actions must manage on-site impacts and threats, where these are not managed through alternative frameworksb.

For critically endangered species and communities:

  1. Actions must deliver a net gaina for critically endangered species habitat and ecological community distribution.

  2. No detrimental change to listed critical habitatc of a species or ecological community.

  3. Actions must manage on-site impacts and threats, where these are not managed through alternative frameworksb.

Additional requirements in Commonwealth areas:

  1. Actions must not kill, injure or take a listed threatened species or ecological community, except where an EPBC Act permit is issued.

Further Information

The Species Profiles and Threats (SPRAT) database contains statutory and policy documents, including Recovery plans, Threat Abatement Plans, Conservation Advices, Survey Guidelines, Significant Impact Guidelines, Species and Ecological Community Policy Statements and Information Guides and Factsheets.

a Relative to the impacts of the action. Quantification of impacts should include changes to the integrity, quality, condition and/or extent of habitat. Measures must account for the time taken to deliver a conservation gain for the protected matter.

b Alternative frameworks include those implemented or agreed by the Commonwealth, for the protections, mitigation and/or management of threats to Australia’s environment. For example, the Biosecurity Act 2015 manages biosecurity threats to plant, animal and human heath in Australia and its external territories. Other examples might include state water management frameworks, which provide for water trading to ensure cumulative water impacts are managed.

c Section 207A of the EPBC Act provides for a Register of critical habitat. This Register is currently incomplete. Critical habitat should be identified and listed over time.

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