How can we achieve conservation outcomes more effectively?

Neil Byron

Productivity Commission,Melbourne

Productivity Commission inquiryinto Native Vegetation and Biodiversity

Conservation Regulations

• Inquiry was required to:– assess the impact of the regimes and their

effectiveness – explore alternative ways of achieving the

objectives more efficiently

The central question…

"How do we, as a society, work out how much of what sort of natural vegetation to retain, where, why, on whose land, who will look after it, and who is going to pay for both acquisition and for ongoing management?

And we can broaden the focus to consider restoration and rehabilitation of some previously cleared areas."

Table 1 Land for Wildlife Programs

State Properties Area retained Veg Commenced

Victoria 5417 140,000 ha 1981

Queensland 2207 249,630 1998

Western Aust 692 209,000 1997

Tasmania 280 20,000 na

Northern Territory 58 564 na

Recommendations1. Improve regulatory practice: better maps and datasets;

coordination; transparency; due process and appeals, etc

2. Greater use of contracts and stewardship payments (Bush Tender, Conservation Covenants, Private Conservation Reserves, etc) to encourage private conservation

3. Clarify landholder and community responsibilities

4. Greater devolution of responsibility to regional NRM bodies (Catchment Management Authorities, etc) to determine local standards, within National – State guidelines

Informative Incentives and assistance Legal compliance Market-BasedMechanisms

Community education Grants and subsidy to Standards & penalties Emission markets - egmatch private investments carbon markets

Education and training Incentives and subsidies Regulation and Prohibition Catchment orenvironmental levies -Brisbane City Council

Accreditation systems - Stewardship payments Conditional permits and Charges for resource use -EMS, OA etc licensing eg pastoral leasesRating standards systems Low interest loans Resource allocations & Tradeable rights and(5 star appliances) entitlements permits - eg water rightsResearch and development Investment tax concessions Covenants & management Tradable development(R&D) and preferential tax agreements rights

treatmentsInformation provision Tax deductibility Contracts Creation of new property(brochures, media, field rightsdays etc)Best management practice Cost transfers Land use and development Performance bonds/refundguidelines (BIVIP) planning - eg statutory eg mining cleanup

planningMonitoring schemes (salt Infrastructure provision Regulatory arrangements Offset schemeswatch, stream watch)Peer group learning eg Bush tenders Clearing controls Revolving fundslandcare qroups, prograzeIndustry codes - voluntary Cost sharing contracts Pollution licences Clean-up leviesself regulationDemonstration projects and Production subsidies Taxes and charges Industry self regulationdemonstration farms - egsustainable grazingsystems

Rebates - eg rate rebates Codes of practice - Competitive contractsmandatory

Compensation Fines and forfeiture of rights Dedicated taxes - eg fueltaxes

Harvesting rights Ambient pollution charges

Source: adapted from Young et & 1996; the Allen Consulting Group 2001 and Productivity Commission, 1997, by J Alexander

Table 1: Instruments to influence landscape change - landuse behaviour

What motivates landholders?

• Fear? Punishment – the big stick

• Greed? Rewards – the carrots

What motivates landholders?

Altruism: doing right thing with no thought of external reward (e.g. TfN Covenant; Land for Wildlife, etc)

self-interest:• prospect of financial gain (eg by increasing revenues

through eco-labelling; reducing costs; maintaining productivity; or receiving stewardship payments);

• or response to community or government pressures including threat of regulation

(e.g. Cotton Australia’s Best Management Practiceprogram and Canegrowers ‘COMPASS’ program).

What motivates landholders?

• Fear? Punishment – the big stick

• Greed? Rewards – the carrots

• Recognition and respect

Productivity Commission reports

www.pc.gov.au

Cost Sharing for Biodiversity Conservation

A Duty of Care for the Protection of Biodiversity

Constraints on Private Conservation of Biodiversity

Creating Markets for Biodiversity: Earth Sanctuaries Ltd

Harnessing Private Sector Conservation of Biodiversity

Creating Markets for Ecosystem Services

Pastoral Leases and Non-pastoral Land Use

Native Vegetation and Biodiversity Conservation Regulation