In Australia, federal and state environmental approvals to develop major construction projects require biodiversity offsets to counterbalance disturbance. These offsets can involve conserving, enhancing and/or protecting areas of national environmental significance, marine habitat, endangered and of-concern regional vegetative ecosystems and/or significant fauna and their habitat. We are involved in efforts to protect these critical environments both onshore and offshore.
On Curtis Island, the LNG industry’s landmark conservation initiatives put nearly two-thirds of the island under a conservation management strategy. Combined with the existing national park, more than 59% of the island is actively managed under a conservation management plan, compared to just 2% used by LNG projects on the southern tip. This will protect the island’s unique ecology and heritage for future generations and contributes to conservation of about 100 square miles in perpetuity. The multi-million-dollar collaboration involved our Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) facility and other LNG proponents on Curtis Island working together to purchase a former grazing property and associated leases. These titles will transfer to the state government, allowing recovery of fragile marine plain ecosystems and long-term restoration of environmental values on this island located within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Additionally, APLNG entered a ‘Reef Trust’ Memorandum of Understanding with the Commonwealth of Australia in 2016. The agreement resulted in APLNG providing financial contributions to offset the indirect impacts of the APLNG project. These funds are invested in projects that protect, repair or mitigate damage to the Mackay/Capricorn section of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Commonwealth legislation allows for the pooling of funds (such as from other LNG proponents in Queensland) through the Reef Trust for Great Barrier Reef to protect and manage the World Heritage Area.
Delivery of this offset package protects and enhances the World and National Heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef. This includes the natural connectivity between habitat for over 22 threatened fauna species (including a Critically Endangered sub-species of Yellow Chat and Vulnerable Water Mouse), significant marine and fish habitat areas, migratory shorebird habitat and declared wetlands. Additionally, control of feral pests is expected to improve turtle hatchling survival on adjoining beaches. Implementation of Reef Trust projects directly contributes to the Australia Reef 2050 plan submitted to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which addresses the Great Barrier Reef being placed on the “In Danger” list. The scale of the offset also allows for the implementation of a whole-of-island management approach by the government to improve environmental outcomes. Gladstone