Corporate Plan 2016 17 - Appendices

Corporate Plan 2016–17

Appendices

The full Department of the Environment and Energy Corporate Plan 2016–17is available at

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Australia

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© Commonwealth of Australia, 2016.

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Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment and Energy.

Contents*

Appendix A: Our purpose and activity statements

Appendix B: Mapping of the Department’s Portfolio Budget Statements 2016–17 to Corporate Plan 2016–17

Appendix C: How was this document developed?

*The full Department of the Environment and Energy Corporate Plan 2016–17 is available for downloading at

Appendix A: Our purpose and activity statements

Our purpose and activity statements focus on what we want to achieve, how we intend to get there and how we measure and assess our performance. The performance measures for each activity are drawn from the 2016–17 Environment Portfolio Budget Statements.

Appendix B maps our portfolio budget statement outcomes and programs to our purposes and activities.We will report against these measures in the Department’s 2016–17 annual performance statement.

PURPOSE: Conserve, protect and sustainably manage Australia’s biodiversity and heritage

ACTIVITY:Investing in our environment and heritage

Intended result

Improve the extent, condition and connectivity of Australia’s unique biodiversity and natural resources, including the Great Barrier Reef, through protection of habitats and mitigation of threats to threatened species and ecological communities.

Delivery strategies

• Delivering biodiversity conservation and natural resource management programs including the Reef Trust, Green Army, 20 Million Trees, Biodiversity Fund and the National Landcare Program.
• Implementing the Threatened Species Strategy and initiatives to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef, including the Reef 2050 plan and Reef Plan Report Card
  2014–15.
• Meeting obligations under international agreements and representing Australia’s interests at international forums on biodiversity matters.

Performance measurement and assessment

Performance criteria (for 2016–17 and beyond)

• Australia’s biodiversity, including threatened species, ecological communities and migratory species, and significant heritage places, are identified, conserved and protected.
• Australia meets its obligations under international environmental agreements.

Targets for 2016–17

• Continued implementation of the Reef 2050 plan focused on the 97 actions identified as immediate priorities in the Reef 2050 plan implementation strategy including development of the Indigenous implementation plan, the guidelines for decision makers, the investment framework and key reporting requirements. Continued stakeholder engagement through the Reef 2050 governance structure including the Reef Advisory Committee and Independent Scientific Expert Panel.
• Reef Trust continues investment through phase IV and V investment strategies to deliver projects that address key threats, with a focus on improving water quality and coastal habitats, and protecting biodiversity. Reef Trust continues to pursue options for investment diversification including through private and philanthropic investment, innovative financial mechanisms and offset delivery.
• Achievement of various biodiversity conservation and natural resource management program goals: projects to plant 20 million trees,the number of Green Army projects commenced and participants engaged, delivery against National Landcare Program objectives, and proportion of Biodiversity Fund projects complete.
• Threatened Species Strategy targets are met.

Targets for 2017–18 and beyond

• In collaboration with the Queensland Government, by June 2018, improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef from broad scale land use by reducing pollutant loads in priority areas, relative to 2008–09 baseline levels.
• Continued implementation of the Reef 2050 plan with a focus on medium term priorities in the Reef 2050 plan implementation strategy, continued stakeholder engagement through the Reef 2050 governance structure including the Reef Advisory Committee and Independent Scientific Expert Panel.
• 95 per cent of Biodiversity Fund projects substantially complete, delivering 53,800 ha of vegetation to improve vegetation condition and/or increase extent.

Assessment

To improve implementation of its natural resource management programs, the Department continues to invest in the supporting monitoring, evaluation and reporting infrastructure.

The Department’s monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement tool was developed to meet project and program reporting requirements of Australian Government natural resource management programs. The monitoring and evaluation tool allows grant recipients to record and upload data about the progress of their projects on a continual basis and to submit reports online. The toolhas enhanced the quality and usefulness of project reporting by linking project activities with the contribution they are making to Australia’s biodiversity conservation work. The Department works cooperatively with the Atlas of Living Australia to improve the functionality and features of the monitoring and evaluation tool.

To monitor the impact of programs to support the Reef 2050 plan, the Australian Government is investing in the development of an Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program in collaboration with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Queensland government, science, industry and community partners. The monitoring and reporting program will monitor biophysical, heritage, water quality, social and economic changes that affect the Reef and use this information to adaptively manage the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The program will enable assessment of the effectiveness of on-ground actions and investments to: protect and restore the Reef's values, address threats, and ensure development and use of the Reef remains ecologically sustainable.

The Department will use case studies to assess the effectiveness of its engagement in international forums including its leadership in advancing Australia’s interests and negotiating outcomes that reflect Australian interests, particularly in collaboration with regional parties.

The Department will complement performance monitoring activity with process and impact evaluations at critical points during policy and program development and implementation.

ACTIVITY: Environmentalwatering

Intended result

Protect and restore water-dependent ecosystems in the Murray–Darling Basin through the management and use of Commonwealth environmental water and manage Australia’s obligations under the Ramsar Convention.

Improve the knowledge of, and inform decision making on, the impacts to and management of water-dependent ecosystems consistent with international and national obligations.

Delivery strategies

• Planning for the use, carryover and trade of Commonwealth environmental water (integrated portfolio management plans).
• Managing, delivering, monitoring and reporting on Commonwealth environmental water.
• Engaging Murray–Darling Basin communities, Indigenous groups, irrigation industries and others to incorporate local experience and knowledge in the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s decisions.
• Contributing to the development of the National Carp Control Plan.
• Undertaking research, conducting assessments, compiling information and providing advice to improve the management of water-dependent ecosystems including Ramsar wetlands.
• Representing Australia and the Oceania region at Ramsar Conference of Contracting Parties meetings, and undertaking the role of Vice Chair of the Ramsar Standing Committee.

Performance measurement and assessment

Performance criteria (for 2016–17 and beyond)

• Australia meets its obligations under international environmental agreements.
• Environmental watering improves the condition of water-dependent ecosystems in the Murray–Darling Basin.
• Support the multi agency project team led by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to develop the National Carp Control Plan.

Targets for 2016–17 and beyond

• All Commonwealth environmental water is actively and adaptively managed including through use, trade, and carry over.
• Intervention monitoring demonstrates that Commonwealth environmental water contributes to the achievement of Basin Plan targets and the Basin-wide environmental watering strategy.
• All required assessments under Article 3.2 of the Ramsar Convention (change in the ecological character description of Ramsar wetlands) are completed consistent with obligations under the Convention.

Assessment

The Department’s performance against this activity will be assessed using monitoring and evaluation programs that satisfy requirements of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder set out under the Water Act 2007 and the Murray–Darling Basin Plan. The Commonwealth Environmental Water Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement Framework guides the monitoring and evaluation activities, including:

• Operational monitoring—collecting data on water volumes delivered, impact on the river systems hydrograph, area of inundation and river levels.
• Intervention monitoring—used to demonstrate environmental outcomes, improve environmental water use planning and delivery and build our combined knowledge of the ecological systems in which we operate.
• Short term intervention monitoring—focussed on determining whether selected watering actions are meeting their intended ecological objectives and understanding the implications for environmental water delivery.
• Long-term intervention monitoring project—detailed 5-year monitoring and evaluation plans for selected areas within the Basin.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority, Basin States, the scientific community, local groups and others have environmental water and aquatic health monitoring and evaluation programs and strategies in place. The Commonwealth Environmental Water Office has designed its monitoring program to complement existing and proposed monitoring programs and will continue to work with these groups to collect and collate relevant monitoring information that facilitates evaluation and reporting of the use of water under the Basin Plan.

The Department will use case studies to assess the effectiveness of its delivery of its obligations under the Ramsar Convention, including its leadership in advancing Australia’s interests and negotiating outcomes in collaboration with regional parties. Existing ecological character descriptions and, as required, site-specific assessments undertaken by managing agencies, will support analysis of potential impacts under Article 3.2 of the Ramsar Convention.

Activity:Regulating to protect our environment and heritage

Intended results

Identify, protect and conserve Australia’s threatened species, ecological communities, cetaceansand migratory species and our world and nationally significant natural, Indigenous and historic heritage places.

Protect internationally traded flora and fauna consistent with national and international obligations.

Support sustainable development outcomes by delivering efficient and effective regulation of matters of national environmental significance.

Delivery strategies

• Administering regulation and providing advice on the delivery of funding programs to support the identification and protection of threatened species and ecological communities and significant natural, Indigenous and historic heritage places.
• Regulating wildlife trade (imports and exports) to protect Australia’s biodiversity and species threatened by international trade and allowing sustainable use of wildlife resources.
• Providing advice and representing Australia’s interests on heritage, wildlife and biodiversity matters and meeting obligations under international agreements.
• Undertaking individual and strategic environmental assessments and approvals and implementing a risk based approach to compliance and enforcement activities under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981.
• Significant progress on implementing government reforms and effective and efficient delivery of government policies, programs and priorities in relation to environmental protection.
• Overseeing, and participating in, arrangements for the regulation of uranium mining in the Alligator Rivers Region to ensure regulation is adequate, effective and consistent with statutory requirements under the Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978.

Performance measurement and assessment

Performance criteria (for 2016–17 and beyond)

• Australia’s biodiversity, including threatened species, ecological communities, cetaceans and migratory species, and significant heritage places, are identified, conserved and protected.
• Data and information generated or commissioned by the Department are used by stakeholders and/or support evidence based decision making.
• Australia meets its obligations under international environmental agreements.
• All Australian property included on the list of world heritage is well managed.
• Improved compliance with national environmental legislation.
• The Alligator Rivers Region environment remains protected from uranium mining effectsconsistent with statutory requirements.

Targets for 2016–17 and beyond

• All activities required by legislation are conducted within statutory timeframes.
• All guidance documents including conservation advices, recovery plans, wildlife conservation plans and threat abatement plans are developed and published within statutory timeframes.
• The number of hectares of habitat protected by offsets[1] is equal to or greater than the area impacted[2] for approved projects.
• Increase in the use of strategic approaches to environmental assessments and approvals.
• Increase in the proportion of approved assessments that apply streamlining policy initiatives, including outcomes based conditions, conditions setting policy, and bilateral assessment agreements.
• Ensure the concentrations of mine derived contaminants in surface water downstream of Ranger Mine do not exceed statutory water quality objectives.

Assessment

To assess its performance against this activity the Department will use a range of internal data sets, including those relating to EPBC Act referrals and assessments, offsets, strategic assessments, bilateral agreements and recovery planning activities and funding. These data sets help measure the effectiveness of our regulatory interventions and ensure resources are being directed to the highest priorities, with a particular focus on matters of national environmental significance. The Finalised Priority Assessment List provides information about the species and ecological communities identified for potential listing as threatened under the EPBC Act. The national State of the Environment 2016 reportwill provide an indication of the effectiveness of our interventions.