Environmental Information Initiatives Stocktake and Assessment

1. Environmental Information Initiatives Stocktake and Assessment Perth Workshop 30th April 2009

2. Session 1 • Welcome and introduction

3. Workshop objectives • Engage with key stakeholders across relevant state agencies. • Familiarise key stakeholders with the project. • Seek input from key stakeholders to: • Identify the full range of state environmental information initiatives relevant to the project, and • Identify key linkages between initiatives, gaps and issues for consideration in the analysis of environmental information initiatives.

4. Project context • NRPPC has requested the Australian Government progress the development of a national environmental information system (NEIS) to coordinate the collection, analysis, synthesis and delivery of environmental information. • To inform this process, DEWHA agreed to undertake a stocktake and assessment of environmental information initiatives across Australian, State and Territory jurisdictions. • The stocktake and assessment aims to obtain a clear, up-to-date picture of the: • range of initiatives across jurisdictions, including linkages among them, and • results of previous initiatives in coordinating the collection, analysis and delivery of environmental information.

5. Vision • A NEIS should build on existing environmental information initiatives • provide relevant, consistent, accurate and timely data at national to regional levels • streamline information collection and dissemination processes • inform rational and prioritised information collection and gap filling • support prioritisation of investment across environmental info themes • allow for value adding by enabling easy access and linking to available information, including socio-economic and other information sources • enhance the national coordination of environmental information • overall, equip Australia with comprehensive and robust environmental information and analytical capability which will underpin present day decision making on sound management of the environment and natural resources.

6. Project scope • Environmental information initiatives are those which contribute to a state or national application, or provide capabilities at those levels. • Focus is on initiatives of government organisations. • Environment refers to: biological, meteorological and atmospheric systems, ocean, water and land systems, and their interaction with human (social & economic) systems including the built environment. • Environmental information includes taxonomic, spatial, availability, condition and trend, measurement and monitoring information.

7. Project key steps and timing

8. Project method – analytical framework • Capture information on each initiative: • Application - what is environmental information used for now and in the future? • Content - what information do the initiatives cover? • Management - how is environmental information funded and managed?

9. Analytical framework

10. Stocktake examples • Examples of national environmental information initiatives: • National Pollution Inventory • Online System for Comprehensive Activity Reporting • State of the Environment Reporting • NLWRA (comprised of sub-initiatives) • Sustainable Rivers Audit • Murray Darling Basin Authority • The Australian Water Resources Information System • National Elevation Data Framework • Environmental Resources Information Network (comprised of sub-initiatives) • Reef Atlas

11. WA stocktake examples • Indian Ocean Climate Initiative (IOCI) • Shared Landform Information Platform (SLIP) • State Land Information Capture Program (SLICP) • WA Herbicide Resistance Initiative (WAHRI) • WA coastal waterways geomorphic habitat mapping • Native vegetation condition – Western Australia • Distribution of rare and threatened flora, fauna and ecological communities • Status and Trends in Suspended solids/turbidity of surface waters • Contaminated sites – Western Australia

12. Session 3: Current situation • OBJECTIVE: to identify the suite of environmental information initiatives, and identify selected features of each initiative. • OUTPUTS • List of state initiatives and sponsors. • Identify linkages with other initiatives, especially national.

13. Session 4: Issues and Assessment • OBJECTIVE: to identify the major gaps and opportunities for improvement across the initiatives identified in Session 3. • OUTPUTS • Major gaps in the current suite of initiatives and reasons why, and • Opportunities for improving initiatives (specific to individual initiatives or general issues).

14. Priorities from Canberra Workshop • Need for leadership • Use and compliance with standards and common methods • Need to improve primary data • Focus investment to fill gaps, reduce duplication and meet key national priorities • Continuity of data collection • Need to identify key drivers for environmental information • Resolve needs of individual drivers and information infrastructure to support many needs • Need for national custodians and coordination • Link environmental information to the economy