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Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

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  1. Home
  2. Environment
  3. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)
  4. Our role in protecting the environment under the EPBC Act

Sidebar first - EN - EPBC

  • EPBC Act
    • Our role in protecting the environment
      • What is protected?
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Our role in protecting the environment under the EPBC Act

We're the agency responsible for administering the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Our role is to apply the law to protect Australia's unique animals, plants, habitats and places. We're also accountable to the Australian public in everything that we do.

 

Protection and regulation under the EPBC Act

The EPBC Act provides a legal framework to protect and manage unique plants, animals, habitats and places. This includes heritage sites, marine areas, some wetlands and other protected matters.

You can check the approved lists under the EPBC Act for:

  • listed threatened species
  • listed ecological communities
  • migratory species
  • marine species.

Learn more about what's protected.

Visit the Federal Register of Legislation to see the latest EPBC Act that's in force.

Our role

As an Australian Government department, we strive to:

  • make transparent decisions
  • maintain credible policies
  • practise in a fair and ethical way
  • deliver efficient services to the Australian public
  • meet our reporting requirements under the EPBC Act.

We also need to meet other reporting requirements, including obligations under the:

  • Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018
  • Freedom of Information Act 1982
  • Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
  • Public Service Act 1999.

We do this by working closely with the Environment minister, and we're accountable to the Australian public for all of these things.

Independent advice

We engage experts to advise us and the Environment minister when considering whether the EPBC Act applies to a proposed action. We appoint them for their knowledge and experience across many topics, including:

  • biodiversity
  • conservation
  • threatened species
  • First Nations heritage.

Learn more about our advisory committees.

Independent reviews

We're obliged to organise independent reviews of the EPBC Act at least every 10 years. These help us to check how effective the Act is at protecting our environment and heritage. We also undertake targeted reviews as needed.

Learn how we arrange independent reviews.

Our performance

We report regularly on our performance, including:

  • how the EPBC Act is operating
  • outcomes of independent reviews and audits
  • quarterly assessment performance reports.

Look at our regular reports.

For departmental budgets, plans and reports, as well as Freedom of Information requests, please see Accountability and reporting.

Business improvements

Protecting our unique environment is always at the centre of what we do, but people matter too. We always strive to make our services easy for everyone to access.

Find out about our current projects.

Get in touch

For more information about the EPBC Act, please contact us by:

  • online enquiry form
  • phone 1800 920 528 phone service operates 9am to 5pm (AEST) Monday to Friday, except public holidays

Find out what’s protected under the EPBC Act

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Last updated: 22 March 2023

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.