Australia’s roadmap to achieve biodiversity targets misses key opportunity to unlock private investment in nature
April 1, 2026
Media Centre, News & Insights
The plan to achieve Australia’s 2030 biodiversity targets has missed a key opportunity to scale private investment in nature by not including biodiversity offsets, says leading advocate for nature restoration Niche Environment and Heritage.
“The lack of mention of biodiversity offsets in the Implementation Plan is disappointing. 2030 is not far away so we need meaningful action now – and leaving offsets out of the plan is a failure to capitalise on a tried and tested solution,” said Ian Rollins, Managing Director of Niche, Australia’s largest privately-owned biodiversity and heritage consultancy.
“A nationally consistent biodiversity offsetting scheme and credits market could effectively channel private funding into landscape-scale restoration. Developers investing in Australia’s critical infrastructure projects could also invest in nature which would fund activities that align with the biodiversity targets.”
For example, the NSW Biodiversity Offset scheme is considered a well-functioning, credible market, underpinned by environmental experts delivering on-ground impacts. If an approach like this was mandated across the country with a focus on ‘net gain’ outcomes and active restoration, progress towards biodiversity targets would accelerate quickly.
Released this week by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the Implementation Plan sets a roadmap for achieving Australia’s six biodiversity targets by the end of this decade.
Aspects of the plan are welcome by Niche, with Mr Rollins adding:
“It is pleasing to see the First Nations perspectives included, as well as the focus on land restoration, the Nature Repair Market and stacking of credits with carbon projects and the callout for more businesses to consider nature risks and opportunities.”
During the recent reforms to Australia’s environmental laws, the EPBC Act, Niche called for a clear set of national rules for biodiversity compliance and offsetting so private investment could be harnessed for large-scale nature repair.
Niche works with landholders, corporates and investors to protect and restore nature with services from ecological impact assessments, biodiversity offsetting, tree planting and land restoration, and nature repair and carbon projects.
Contact
Carly Youd
Head of Brand, Marketing and Communications
Niche Environment and Heritage
Phone: 0409 675 019
Email: cyoud@niche-eh.com
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Key people
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Ian Rollins BA, MResDev
Managing Director
