We use data to support decision-making under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Our environmental information assets are:
- diverse in subject
- from a geographically broad range of places
- often not available anywhere else.
Our approach is to make data more accessible, discoverable and re-useable. Good data supports good decision-making.
Using our data
We adopted the Australian Governments Open Access and Licensing (AusGOAL) Framework. This allows anyone to use our information assets.
We have a default open access to information policy, except where:
- information is in some way sensitive, or
- its creator has restricted its use.
Data guidelines
You may need to provide data and maps if you apply for an EPBC ACT environmental assessment.
Use these guides to find out how to prepare and provide:
Sensitive data
We maintain many datasets containing:
- species observation records
- information on ecological communities of Australia.
Read our policy on how we manage sensitive data.
Location data for on-ground investments
We rely on accurate and consistent location data for on-ground investment areas. We use it when planning, monitoring and reporting on our programs.
See the standards your mapped polygon location data must meet.
Previous programs
National Plan for Environmental Information (NPEI)
NPEI set out to improve the quality and accessibility of environmental information. We worked with the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to deliver this program.
BOM continues this work with the National Environmental Information Infrastructure.
Read:
Essential Environmental Measures for Australia
We piloted the Essential Environmental Measures for Australia program from June 2015 to December 2017. It aimed to improve availability of environmental information to support national reporting needs.
We closed the program after a June 2018 evaluation.
Read the: