Expanding Finance Opportunities to Support Private Land Conservation in Australia
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Scoping Paper: Expanding Finance Opportunities to Support Private Land Conservation in Australia C . October 2018 1 This page left blank intentionally 2 Important Information This document was produced by the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA), and the opinions expressed herein are those of ALCA as of the date of publishing and are subject to change. ALCA does not make any representation as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness and does not accept liability for any direct, indirect, incidental, specific or consequential loss or damage arising from the use of or reliance on this information. The information contained in this document is for general purposes and is not intended (and should not be construed) as legal, accounting, tax nor financial advice or opinion provided by ALCA. The entire contents of this document are protected by copyright law (all rights reserved). This document or any part thereof may not be reproduced, transmitted (electronically or otherwise), altered or used for public or commercial purposes, without the prior written permission of ALCA. The contents of this publication, either in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, stored in a data retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. The information set forth herein has been obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable but this is not guaranteed. This publication is provided with the understanding that the authors and publisher shall have no liability for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions therein and, by this publication, the authors and publisher are not engaged in rendering consulting advice or other professional advice to the recipient with regard to any specific matter. In the event that consulting or other expert assistance is required with regard to any specific matter, the services of qualified professionals should be sought. Document History Revision no. 08, Issue date:6/10/2018, Description: Revised final report Issued to: Public-release Revision no. 07, Issue date: 31/08/2018, Description: Final draft for comment Issued to: Department of Environment and Energy, Australian Government Revision no. 06, Issue date: 27/08/2018, Description: Final draft for comment Issued to: Australian Land Conservation Alliance and expert consultation group Revision no. 05, Issue date: 02/08/2018, Description: Draft for comment Issued to: Conservation Finance Roundtable Participants Revision no. 04, Issue date: 30/07/2018, Description: Draft for comment Issued to: Department of Environment and Energy, Australian Government Revision no. 03, Issue date: 23/07/2018, Description: Draft for comment Issued to: Australian Land Conservation Alliance Revision no. 02, Issue date: 11/07/2018, Description: Draft for comment Issued to: Initial local expert consultation group, and the US Conservation Finance Network Revision no. 01, Issue date: 29/06/2018, Description: Draft for comment Issued to: Department of Environment and Energy, Australian Government 3 About ALCA The Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) is a national conservation organisation working to promote the conservation of private lands in Australia. ALCA is Australia’s first national organisation that brings together key participants in the private land conservation sector. ACLA’s Board Members include representatives from the following organisations: Bush Heritage Australia; Biodiversity Conservation Trust of NSW; Greening Australia; Landcare Australia; Nature Foundation SA; NRM Regions Australia; Queensland Trust for Nature; South Endeavour Trust; Tasmanian Land Conservancy; The Nature Conservancy – Australia Program; and Trust for Nature (Victoria). ALCA’s Board Members bring a wealth of existing accumulated expertise, providing great potential to further enhance the private land conservation sector’s capacity, effectiveness and contribution to state and national conservation policy objectives. Authors Dr Adrian Ward, Conservation Finance Advisor, Marnie Lassen, Strategic Projects Manager, Trust Trust for Nature (Victoria). for Nature (Victoria). Acknowledgements This Scoping Paper is part of a conservation finance project being undertaken by Trust for Nature (Victoria) on behalf of ALCA. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the federal government Department of Environment and Energy for supporting this project. Trust for Nature also gratefully acknowledges the R E Ross Trust for its support of our conservation finance and partnerships projects over the past 4 years. We would like to thank the following people who provided direct input into this Scoping Paper: James Bentley, Associate Director - Sally McCutchan, CEO, Natural Value, NAB Impact Investing Australia Jim Binney, Director, Nigel Sharp, Founder, Mount Rothwell Natural Capital Economics Conservation and Research Centre Peter Flottmann, Environmental Finance Christopher Thorn AM, Partner – Social Finance, Manager, Greening Australia Impact Investment & Philanthropy, EY Rich Gilmore, Country Director, The Nature Cecilia Riebl, Policy Advisor, Conservancy – Australia Program Trust for Nature (Victoria) Ben O’Hara, General Manager Land & Martijn Wilder, Head – Global Environmental Environment, Gainsdale Markets, Baker McKenzie 4 Workshop participants We would also like to acknowledge the input of the following people who also attended the August 2018 Conservation Finance Workshop, as follows: David Brand, Chief Executive Officer, Paul Elton, Executive Director, New Forests Biodiversity Conservation Trust of NSW Nerida Bradley, Chief Executive Officer, Doug Humann, Chair, Queensland Trust for Nature Landcare Australia. Jeremy Burke, Fund Manager, James Hattam, Chief Executive Officer, Impact Investment Group Tasmanian Land Conservancy Hugo Hopton, Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Marles, Chief Executive Officer, Nature Foundation SA Trust for Nature (Victoria) Poppy Cluett, Executive Officer, Amanda Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Impact Investing Australia Aus. Environmental Grant Makers Network Melissa Cutler, Head of Environmental Kim Martina, Associate Director, Sustainability, ANZ Sustainable Finance Team, ANZ Matthew Dadswell, Assistant Secretary, Megan Smith, Acting Director, Biodiversity Biodiversity Policy & Water Science Branch, Policy & Water Science Branch, Federal Federal Department of Environment & Energy Department of Environment & Energy Darren Dawson, Treasurer, Anna Skarbek, Chief Executive Officer, Bank Australia ClimateWorks Paul Dettmann, Managing Director, Louise O’Halloran, Responsible Finance Cassinia Environmental Specialist Sarah-Jane Hindmarsh, Director, Environmental James Todd, Acting Executive Director, Economic Accounts Section, Federal Biodiversity Division, Vic. Department of Department of Environment & Energy Environment, Land, Water & Planning Megan Evans, Principal Scientist, Sebastian Vanderzeil, Global Advisory Council Qld Department of Environment and Science Member, Cornerstone Capital Clare Feniuk, Consultant: Natural Resource Pip Walsh, Director, Management, RMCG Community Solutions Casey Harris, Business Expansion, Robert White, Green Finance Specialist, Orana Farms NAB Angela Hawdon, Business Development & Kym Whiteoak, Head of Economics & Policy, Strategic Project Manager, Bush Heritage Australia RMCG Jane Higgins, Manager Strategic Policy, Nicole Yazbek-Martin, Assistant Director, Biodiversity Division, Victorian Department of Partnerships Section, Federal Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Environment & Energy Adam Carlon, Assistant Secretary, Communications & Engagement Branch, Federal Department of Environment & Energy 5 Executive Summary Conservation is significantly underfunded While both government funding (e.g. grants, around the world. This includes in Australia, tax incentives) and philanthropic giving where the conservation finance gap is (individuals, corporates) will continue to estimated to be around AUD 10 billion per play a major role in conservation, this will annum. To put this in perspective, this always be constrained by the general health represents less than 0.5% of total annual of the economy and competing priorities institutional investment in Australia1. placed on government budgets. Private landholders manage 77% of Various international targets and Australia’s land area, with much of this agreements to which Australia is a party, managed by indigenous people, including such as the Sustainable Development Goals some of its most important ecological areas and the Paris Agreement, have spurred the - a crucial role in protecting our nation’s private sector’s interest in investing in social environmental assets. Expanding finance and environmental outcomes, alongside approaches to broaden the role of private market returns. The business case for land conservation, in conjunction with conservation has also been enhanced by increasing Australia’s protected area Australia’s strengthening brand as a global network and other efforts, is a priority issue. supplier of clean, healthy and sustainably grown food and fibre products, and of The Australian Land Conservation Alliance nature-based tourism opportunities. (ALCA), in collaboration with the Australian Government Department of Environment As such, there are growing opportunities to and Energy (DoEE) and the US-based use philanthropic and government sources Conservation Finance Network (CFN), to leverage private sector investment