erosion risk whilst increasing carbon storage. Ground cover management practices have been adopted by many in the horticulture, industry, however no trend data are available for this practice. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) (Australia's national science agency) has launched a new National Research Flagship focusing research onto agricultural sustainability. The Flagship will look at ways of increasing agricultural productivity whilst maintaining environmental health. An important goal is to build global solutions for food security and greenhouse gas management. See response on sustainable fisheries management under Aichi Target 6. Australia has established a reputation as a supplier of safe, high quality seafood which is produced using environmentally sustainable practices. See response on forests under Aichi Target 5. Australia has a comprehensive framework designed to achieve the conservation and sustainable management of its forests. Aichi Target 8: By 2020, pollution, including from excess nutrients, has been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem function and biodiversity. ABCS Target: No directly corresponding target under the ABCS. Examples of Action Indicators of progress Australia has the National Water Quality Management Strategy (NWQMS) which is a national approach supported by all Australian governments to improve water quality and reduce pollution. The NWQMS includes a range of guiding documents to support the assessment and management of water quality to protect the environment and for purposes such as drinking, agriculture and recreation. The Tasmanian River Catchment Water Quality Initiative was funded by the Australian and Tasmanian governments to maintain water quality in Tasmanian waterways. The initiative built on existing river catchment auditing and monitoring work to provide information in response to community concerns about pesticide use and the potential impact of pesticide pollution on the environment, human health and industry. River Murray Water Quality Monitoring Program periodically assesses and reports on water quality, to understand the variability and to determine trends, which in turn will guide management actions along the River Murray and the lower reaches of its tributaries and storages. Australia’s National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) provides the community, industry and government with free information about substance emissions in Australia. The desired environmental outcomes of the NPI are to maintain and improve air and water quality; minimise environmental impacts associated with hazardous waste, and improve the The NPI has emission estimates for 93 toxic substances and the source and location of these emissions.
diversity between countries” GSPC 2011-2020 Objective I: Plant diversity is well understood, documented and recognized (GSPC Targets 1,2,3; with linkages to Aichi Target 19) Outcomes include: on-line checklists of species names through the Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) data published via the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and via the suite of information tools and resources of the ‘Atlas of Living Australia’ (ALA) facility Bush Blitz – detailed elsewhere in this report. The World Flora Online (WFO) is an international collaborative effort involving leading botanical institutions to develop a comprehensive, authoritative and accessible online resource for the world's approximately 400,000 known plant species. The Australian Government, through the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the Australian Biological Resources Study is a signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding between botanical institutions to build the WFO. GSPC 2011-2020 Objective II: Plant diversity is urgently and effectively conserved (GSPC Targets 4,5,6,7,8,9,10; with linkages to Aichi Targets 5,11,7,12,9) Outcomes include: Australia's NVF is a national framework to guide the ecologically sustainable management of Australia's native vegetation The NRS is Australia's network of protected areas, conserving our natural landscapes and native plants and animals. The Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria comprises those responsible for the major Australian and New Zealand Herbaria with the aim of promoting all matters of interest to herbaria in Australasia and to increase cooperation and understanding between herbaria. Australia’s conservation seed banks currently hold collections of more than 8200 native species, which include seed collections of 591 (47.3%) of nationally listed threatened species (under the EPBC Act). The Australian Government invested $1.5 million from 2011 to 2013 to progress a transition from eradication of myrtle rust to management of the disease. This investment provided scientific information and tools to enable industries and communities to mitigate the impacts of the The Australian Seed Bank Partnership and the Australian Grains Genebank are collaborating to increase representation of 40 priority species of Australian crop wild relatives, and the associated genetic diversity, in genebanks for future use (2014-2016). The Australian Seed Bank Partnership will continue to build genetically diverse ex situ collections of native flora to support species recovery and restoration programmes.
disease in urban, primary production and natural environments. GSPC 2011-2020 Objective III: Plant diversity is used in a sustainable and equitable manner (GSPC Targets 11, 12,13; with linkages to Aichi Targets 4,6,18) Outcomes include the National Landscapes Partnership and Working on Country. These initiatives are detailed elsewhere in this report. The Australian Seed Bank Partnership is working to share information through the Atlas of Living Australia on methods for germinating and re-establishing native flora to support the restoration industry. GSPC 2011-2020 Objective IV: Education and awareness about plant diversity, its role in sustainable livelihoods and importance to all life on earth is promoted (GSPC Target 14) (Linkages to Aichi Target 1) Outcomes include: Australia’s eight capital city botanic gardens and 150 regional botanic gardens attract an estimated 13 million visits per year. The Australian School Curriculum: Science has three interrelated strands: Science Understanding, Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Inquiry Skills. The content of the Science Understanding strand will inform students’ understanding of contemporary issues, such as biodiversity, climate change, use of resources, and the origins of the universe. The NGO, Australian Network for Plant Conservation (ANPC) undertakes education and training with a range of stakeholders. Promotion of multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral interactions amongst organisations, supporting GSPC objectives GSPC 2011-2020 Objective V: The capacities and public engagement necessary to implement the Strategy have been developed (GSPC Targets 15, 16; with linkages to Aichi Targets 20,17) Outcomes include the ABCS, the Australian Seed Bank Partnership and the ALA. These examples are detailed elsewhere in this report. Promotion of multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral interactions amongst organisations, supporting GSPC objectives