Clayton Utz Environment and Sustainable Development

Clayton Utz Environment and Sustainable Development

Law Practice

Sydney, New South Wales 311 followers

About us

Our team advises on all aspects of environment and planning law from major infrastructure projects, through to ecologically sustainable development, water, energy & resources and planning issues.

Industry
Law Practice
Company size
1,001-5,000 employees
Headquarters
Sydney, New South Wales

Updates

  • The world’s first legislated, national, voluntary biodiversity credit market is one step closer to being established, with Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) progressing Nature Repair Market project “methods”, announcing the inaugural members of the Nature Repair Committee on 22 August 2024, and progressing legislative rules that will support the operation of the Nature Repair Market. Read more: https://ow.ly/725O50TfWJT By: Claire Smith, Caitlin McConnel

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  • A Bill before NSW Parliament proposes significant changes to the Biodiversity Conservation Act, including a mandated transition to nature positive outcomes for the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme. In this article, we unpack phase 1 of the NSW Government’s biodiversity law reform. In this article, we look at the key reforms which the Bill proposes and highlight some additional areas for much-needed reform. https://ow.ly/EwY050T69VP By: Nick Thomas, Wagih Doueihi, Eli Hall, Odette Brotherson and George Stribling

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  • The Queensland Law Reform Commission (QLRC) has been tasked with reviewing the processes for deciding contested applications for mining leases under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld) and the associated environmental authorities under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld). If you're looking to expand coal mining operations, or begin new ones, consider making a submission as the outcome of this review could affect you. Read more here: https://ow.ly/mp7o50T3FkU

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  • On 17 July 2024, the NSW Government released its NSW Plan for Nature, in response to Ken Henry AC's statutory reviews of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act) and the native vegetation provisions of the Local Land Services Act 2013 (LLS Act). The Plan relates to three key election commitments: to reform the biodiversity offsets scheme, to stop excess land clearing and to strengthen environmental protections. Read more and see our key takeaways here: https://ow.ly/9atZ50SIOP3 By: Claire Smith, Caitlin McConnel, Jennifer Williams

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  • This omnibus Bill amends various pieces of legislation including the Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014 (Qld) (the MERCP Act), the Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Act 2018 (Qld), the Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld), the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (Qld) and the Water Act 2000 (Qld). See our key takeaways here: https://ow.ly/Rscr50Sm7KC By: Patrick Cranley, Ben Cansdale, Karen Trainor, Beryl Rachier and Tom Ryan

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  • Great post from our ESD partner Lucy Shea on the new EPBC Act reform Bills https://lnkd.in/gi2AHgrf

    View profile for Lucy Shea, graphic

    Partner at Clayton Utz - Environment & Sustainable Development

    Stage 2 of the Commonwealth's Nature Positive reforms is here.   Two Bills were introduced to Federal Parliament today to establish two new Federal entities: 🌿 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 (𝗘𝗣𝗔) - A national, independent environmental regulator that will have strong compliance and enforcement powers and become the assessment and approval body for a range of Commonwealth environmental approvals - Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024 🌿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 (𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗔) - A new office responsible for improving the availability and accessibility of national environmental data and information - Nature Positive (Environment Information Australia) Bill 2024   A third Transitional Provisions Bill, also introduced today, contains the detail of what the EPA will be responsible for in the short term, until the Stage 3 reforms confirm the National Standards and new assessment and approvals framework to replace current EPBC Act regime (we expect this to be quite some time away) - Nature Positive (Environment Law Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2024.   For now, all of the EPBC Act enforcement and compliance powers are to be transferred to the EPA, along with additional powers and increased penalties. The EPA will also become the approval body for EPBC Act permits for activities in Commonwealth areas, and permits and licences under various other Federal environmental frameworks (including sea dumping permits and hazardous waste permits). The broader EPBC Act assessment and approval powers will not be transferred for now. However, a new section 515 will provide a new delegation power, allowing the Minister/Secretary to delegate EPBC Act assessment and approval powers to the CEO and some staff of the EPA.   The EIA Bill also defines "nature positive" for the first time, for the purposes of the HEIA's functions, as "an improvement in the diversity, abundance, resilience and integrity of ecosystems from a baseline". Further clarification of how nature positive can be achieved is included in subsections 6(2) and (3) (although there may be a question whether they truly clarify). The Head of EIA will be responsible for determining the baseline.   We will consider the Bills and prepare some more detailed comments over the next few days. If you'd like to get in touch in the meantime, please do.   The three Bills can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gYJ4rNpp https://lnkd.in/gjvu7fJv https://lnkd.in/gu8uwhTb

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