In 2022, the Australian government committed to the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), pledging to protect at least 30% of Australia’s lands and oceans by 2030 (30 by 30). All state and territory governments have since backed this initiative.

With globally significant biodiversity and vast land area, Western Australia has a crucial role to play in achieving Australia’s terrestrial contribution to 30 by 30. The WA Government's Plan for Our Parks was a strong start, but new action is needed to fully realise WA's potential for protected areas.

A five year WA plan for 30 by 30

To deliver on protected area commitments, we are calling on the State Government to develop a 5-year plan that includes:

• Accelerated protection of priority South-West forest areas by 2030. This will transform the Western Australian government’s commitment to end native forest logging into a nationally and globally recognised contribution to 30 by 30.
• Revitalising and expanding Western Australia’s conservation covenanting system to meet best practice standards and contribute effectively to 30 by 30 targets. 
• A protected areas leveraged funding policy for public-private partnerships for new land purchases for protected areas, including pathways for divestment of privately owned conservation lands to First Nations People. With no policy in place, WA is missing out on private conservation funding that is flowing to the east coast.
• Increase protection of areas where critically endangered species are threatened, such as the Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment and Great Western Woodlands, as well as where protection is underrepresented in the National Reserve System.

The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA), in collaboration with key member groups and partners, developed a further set of priorities for environmental reform ahead of the 2025 State Election.These priorities address some of the most imminent threats to our unique and precious nature in WA. Find out more here.