Did you know that nature gets less than 0.1% of the federal budget?That’s nowhere near enough to protect our landscapes, wildlife, and way of life for future generations.
1% for Nature at a glance
Key facts
Only 0.1% of the federal budget is spent on nature
A fair go for nature – at least 1% of the budget – would be transformative
Australia already has great programs in place, they just need funding!
WAis facing a biodiversitycrisis. Species are disappearing. Ecosystems are collapsing. We’re calling on the Australian Government to invest at least 1% of the budget in nature to:
Protect critical and remnant habitat
Strengthen recovery plans for all threatened species and ecological communities
Improve water resource planning and ensure safe drinking water
Support private and community conservation programs
Prioritise ecological restoration and resilience
This campaign has brought together a broad coalition of conservation, scientific and community organisations acrossAustraliawho are making a simple, evidence-based case to government, that aims to protect wildlife, restore degraded landscapes, and prevent extinctions—a critical need given Australia's status as a world leader in mammal extinctions and ecosystem decline.
Australia has the people, the skills and the science to solve the environmental problems we face. We have great programs already in place or ready to go – they just need more funding! But unless our elected representatives hear loud and clear from us, it won’t happen.
Take action
Ask your local MP to put their support behind 1% for nature. You can send a letter, make a phone call, or arrange a meeting. We can provide all the resources and training you need to start building a relationship with your local MP. Submit your interest through the form below and we'll be in touch!
Register your interest in the 1% for Nature campaign
Meeting with Alicia Payne MP
FAQs
Is 1% enough? No, but it’s a massive increase from current levels and would make a huge difference. It would allow Australia to meet its global commitments.
How much does the federal government spend on nature? The Federal Government spends about $700M on Australia’s biodiversity out of about $650B. That is just over 0.1% of expenditure.
Is that the entire environmental budget?No, it does NOT include significant expenses like Water, Antarctica or the department’s expenses. We focused on programs that directly protect biodiversity. There are also some spends in other departments such as biosecurity that have biodiversity benefits, however we have omitted them as the primary aim of those spends is to protect industry, agriculture and human health. This is not a choice between nature or the economy – without healthy nature, people will be worse off. Growing nature spending to 1% of the Federal budget would have a transformative impact on protecting nature and boosting our economy. Polling by the Biodiversity Council shows three-quarters of Australians support at least 2% of the federal budget for nature – even during a cost-of-living crisis.
Where will the money come from? The government spends far more on activities that damage nature than on caring for it. One example is the Fuel Tax Credits scheme, which gives big mining companies refunds on fuel taxes - costing taxpayers about $10.2 billion this year, with coal mining alone pocketing $1.4 billion. While billions flow to polluting industries, nature gets just 0.1% of federal spending.
What will 1% fund? It will allow Australia to meet its global commitments including 30 by 30 (protect 30% of the world's land and oceans by 2030). Australia has the people, the skills and the science to solve the environmental problems we face. We have great programs already in place or ready to go – they just need more funding.
Examples:
Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas programs
Land acquisition for protected areas (to meet 30 by 30 commitments)
Incentives for farmers and pastoralists to conserve land
