Department of the Environment and EnergyAnnual Report 201617
Chapter 2: Annual Performance Statements
www.environment.gov.au/annual-report-2016-17
Commonwealth of Australia, 2017.
Annual Performance Statements2Annual Performance StatementsStatement of preparation
I, Finn Pratt, as the Accountable Authority of the Department of the Environment and Energy, present the annual performance statements of the Department, covering the 201617 financial year, as required under paragraph 39(1)(a) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act). In my opinion, these annual performance statements are based on properly maintained records, accurately reflect the performance of the entity, andcomply with subsection 39(2) of the PGPA Act.
Departmental purposes and activities
The Department delivers major Government initiatives to promote the conservation and sustainable use of Australias natural resources and to ensure community and industry energy needs are met through the efficient use and adequate, reliable and competitive supply of energy. These initiatives deliver outcomes across four purposes: environment and heritage, Antarctica, climate change, and energy.
The Department pursues these purposes through 10 activities. The annual performance statements report on our fulfilment of these purposes and activities during 201617. Performance criteria and targets outlined in the following sections were included in the Departments Portfolio Budget Statements 201617 and/or Corporate Plan 201617 and their location in these documents is provided in the results tables. Some performance indicators were updated in the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 201617; where relevant this is indicated in the performance tables.
Table 2.1 illustrates the alignment between the purposes and outcomes outlined in the corporate plan and portfolio budget statements.
Table 2.1: Alignment between purposes and outcomes outlined in the Corporate Plan 201617 and Portfolio Budget Statements 201617[footnoteRef:1] [1: Formerly responsibility of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science under Outcome 1, Program 2, Sub-program 2.5.]
Corporate Plan
Portfolio Budget Statements
Purpose
Activity
Program
Outcome
Environment and Heritage Conserve, protect and sustainably manage Australias biodiversity and heritage
Investing in our environment and heritage
Program 1.1: Sustainable management of natural resources and the environment
Outcome 1: Conserve, protect and sustainably manage Australias biodiversity, ecosystems, environment and heritage through research, information management, supporting natural resource management, establishing and managing Commonwealth protected areas, and reducing and regulating the use of pollutants and hazardous substances.
Program 1.3: Land Sector Initiatives
Regulating to protect our environment and heritage
Program 1.4: Conservation of Australias Heritage and the Environment
Program 1.5: Environmental Regulation
Environmental health
Program 1.6: Management of Hazardous Wastes, Substances and Pollutants
Environmental watering
Program 4.2: Commonwealth Environmental Water
Outcome 4: Improve the health of freshwater ecosystems (rivers, wetlands, flood plains) through research, education and environmental watering and strengthen the water resources knowledge base.
Climate Change Develop and implement a national response to climate change
Reducing Australias greenhouse gas emissions
Program 2.1: Reducing Australias Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Outcome 2: Reduce Australias greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the impacts of climate change, contribute to effective global action on climate change, and support technological innovation in clean and renewable energy, through developing and implementing a national response to climate change.
Program 2.3: Renewable Energy Technology Development
Adapting to climate change
Program 2.2: Adapting to Climate Change
Antarctica Advance Australias strategic, scientific and environmental interests in the Antarctic
Antarctic science, policy and presence
Program 3.1: Antarctica: Science, Policy and Presence
Outcome 3: Advance Australias strategic, scientific, environmental and economic interests in the Antarctic region by protecting, administering and researching the region.
Energy Support the reliable, sustainable and secure operations of energy markets through improving Australias energy efficiency, performance and productivity for the community
Energy security
Program 5.1: Energy
Outcome 5: Support the reliable, sustainable and secure operations of energy markets through improving Australias energy efficiency, performance and productivity for the community.1
Energy market reform and energy efficiency programs
Relates to Environment and Heritage and supports all other purposes
Science, information and research
Relates to Outcome 1, Program 1.2: Environmental information and research, and Outcome 4, Program 4.1: Water science and wetlands. Supports all other outcomes and programs.
Performance against purposes and activitiesEnvironment and heritage
Purpose: Conserve, protect and sustainably manage Australias biodiversity andheritage
Activity: Investing in our environment and heritage
The Department delivers investments across a range of natural resource management and biodiversity conservation programs to protect Australias environment and heritage. We direct funding to help communities take practical action to improve their local environment and promote sustainable management, with flow-on social and economic benefits. The programs we deliver include the Reef Trust, the Green Army, the Biodiversity Fund, Improving Your Local Parks and Environment, and the National Landcare Program, including 20 Million Trees.
We develop and implement strategies to protect our environment and heritage such as the Threatened Species Strategy and initiatives to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef, including the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan.
Our programs and strategies help us to meet our international obligations and represent Australias interests at international forums on biodiversity and heritage matters.
Results against performance criteria and targets
Intended result: Improve the extent, condition and connectivity of Australias unique biodiversity and natural resources, including the Great Barrier Reef, through protection of habitats and mitigation of threats to threatened species and ecological communities.
Performance criterion
Australia meets its obligations under international environmental agreements.
Source
PBS 201617 p. 40, Corporate Plan 201617 p. 18
Result
Achieved
Australia is meeting its obligations under international environmental agreements such as the World Heritage Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
In 201617, the Department continued to contribute to meeting these obligations by aligning the delivery of biodiversity and heritage-related strategies and programs to the protection and conservation of internationally recognised species, ecosystems and heritage places, as well as targeting funding to support Indigenous peoples engagement in environmental and natural resource management planning andmanagement.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Australia maintained its reputation as an active, balanced and constructive party to the Convention on Biological Diversity during 201617. The Department provided written submissions to the secretariat and the global community, consulted with like-minded countries, fulfilled our responsibilities as the Japan, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (JUSCANZ)[footnoteRef:2] representative on the conference of the parties bureau, and participated effectively in the 13th Conference of the Parties in December2016. We consulted extensively in the lead-up to the conference, seeking advice and views from almost 20 Australian, state and territory government agencies and from Indigenous groups, businesses and non-government organisations. [2: JUSCANZ is an informal regional group of countries under the convention. Its members are Japan, the United States of America (not a party to the convention), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Israel.]
Domestically, we continued to implement our obligations under the convention. Forexample, we led a review of Australias Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 20102030, which was endorsed by all environment ministers in November2016, and are working with state and territory governments and the Australian Local Government Association to revise the strategy to improve its alignment with the convention and other biodiversity-related international agreements. We reported on progress to the convention secretariat as required, and provided information to the domestic and international community on progress against the current strategic plan and the Aichi biodiversity targets.
More information on Australias Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 20102030 is on our website.
www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/conservation/strategy/review-australias-biodiversity-conservation-strategy-2010-2030
In 201617, we continued to provide secretariat support to the Australian Business and Biodiversity Initiative. The initiative, established by the business sector in 2014, is recognised as the Australian arm of the Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity which was est
