2024-2025 Federal Budget - Environment

Future Drought Fund - Better support for farmers and communities to manage drought and adapt to climate change

The Government will allocate $519.1 million over eight years from 2024-25 from the Future Drought Fund for initiatives that provide improved support to farmers and communities to manage drought and adapt to climate change. Funding includes:

• $132.0 million over eight years from 2024-25 to continue the Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs model to support activities to address the challenges of drought and climate variability in local areas
• $83.2 million over five years from 2024-25 to continue the Farm Business Resilience Program to provide farmers, farm workers and advisers with access to learning and development opportunities and continue the scholarship program
• $67.0 million over four years from 2025-26 for the next phase of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning program, with a greater focus on the implementation of activities in plans
• $60.3 million over six years from 2024-25 to continue and expand the Long Term Trials program to test drought and climate resilience farming practices and support the adoption of drought resilience innovations.

Budget Speech p 11
Budget Paper No 2 p 42
Budget Overview p 29
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 16

Australian Antarctic Program - Additional funding

The Government will provide $290.5 million over five years from 2023-24 (and an additional $207.8 million from 2028-29 to 2032-33) to continue the delivery of the Australian Antarctic Program and expand Australia's international scientific activities. Funding includes:

• $163.3 million over four years from 2024-25 (and an additional $207.8 million from 2028-29 to 2032-33) to continue critical safety works and rebuild the Macquarie Island research station to enable delivery of year-round monitoring and scientific programs
• $17.6 million over two years from 2024-25 to increase RSV Nuyina's operational days at sea to support additional delivery of marine science and environmental activities.

Budget Paper No 2 p 53
Media Release

International Climate Finance

The Government will provide $150.0 million over four years from 2024-25 in contributions to international climate financing funds. Funding includes:

• $100.0 million over three years from 2024-25 as an investment in the Pacific Resilience Facility, an initiative endorsed by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders, to fund small-scale climate and disaster resilience projects in the Pacific.

Budget Paper No 2 p 104

National Water Grid Fund - Responsible investment in water infrastructure for the regions

The Government will provide $174.6 million over six years from 2024-25 to deliver new water infrastructure projects, including:

• $119.6 million over six years from 2024-25 for five construction projects
• $26.1 million over three years from 2024-25 for 11 First Nations water infrastructure projects, including ten construction projects and one business case
• $18.1 million over four years from 2024-25 for nine business cases relating to potential new projects
• $10.7 million over three years from 2024-25 for 12 science projects.

The Government will also achieve savings of $200.0 million over four years from 2024-25 by redirecting uncommitted funding to support other Government priorities. The cost of new water infrastructure projects in this measure will be met by reallocating existing funding within the National Water Grid Fund and the $150.0 million allocated to improve water security for remote First Nations communities under the 2023-24 Budget measure titled Closing the Gap - further investment.

Budget Paper No 2 p 57
Budget Overview p 41
Media Release

Australia's International Climate Change Engagement

The Government will provide an additional $76.2 million over five years from 2023-24 (and an additional $0.3 million from 2028-29 to 2029-30) to support Australia's continued engagement in international climate change and energy transition issues, including through the International Energy Agency, G20 and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to bolster trade opportunities and enhance security relationships with key partners, and bid to co-host the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) in partnership with the Pacific and undertake initial planning in the event of a successful bid.

Budget Paper No 2 p 52
Media Release

Nature Positive Plan - Additional funding

The Government will provide a further $40.9 million over two years from 2024-25 to continue implementing the Nature Positive Plan: better for the environment, better for business (Nature Positive Plan). Building on the investment made in the 2023-24 Budget measure titled Nature Positive Plan - better for the environment, better for business, which provided $121.0 million over four years from 2023-24 to establish Environment Protection Australia and $51.5 million over four years from 2023-24 ($4.5 million per year ongoing) to set up Environment Information Australia, the additional funding in this measure includes:

• $17.6 million over two years from 2024-25 for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to establish and commence operation of the Nature Repair Market
• $14.0 million over two years from 2024-25 for the Clean Energy Regulator to administer the Nature Repair Market once open for participation
• $5.3 million in 2024-25 additional funding to progress legislative reforms
• $4.1 million over two years from 2024-25 to drive voluntary uptake of the Nature Repair Market and nature-related reporting by businesses.

The Government will consider further funding for the Nature Repair Market when further information is available on the scale, complexity and demand for the Nature Repair Market.

Budget Paper No 2 p 58
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 23
Media Release

Murray-Darling Basin Plan - Continuing delivery

The Government will provide funding over five years from 2023-24 to continue implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (Basin Plan). Funding includes:

• $27.0 million in 2024-25 to expand the existing Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program to enable the Commonwealth to work with private proponents on water recovery activities
• $4.0 million in 2024-25 for the hydrological modelling platform underpinning the implementation of the Basin Plan and a business case for further development
• an additional $0.6 million in 2024-25 to deliver the Murray Reconnected Floodplains project
• funding for additional voluntary water purchases to contribute towards environmental outcomes under the Basin Plan
• funding for Basin states to minimise the socio-economic impacts of water purchases and continue implementing the Basin Plan reform activities.

Budget Speech p 11
Budget Paper No 2 p 56
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 28
Media Release

Commonwealth Leadership for a Safe Circular Economy - Continuing delivery

The Government will provide $23.0 million in 2024-25 to continue delivery of the Government's circular economy policy, program and legislative functions.

The Government will consider further funding for circular economy following the development of a new national circular economy framework.

Budget Paper No 2 p 54
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 23