Australia passes Environment Protection Reform Bill amending EPBC Act

The Australian Parliament passed the Albanese Government's Environment Protection Reform Bill, amending the EPBC Act, creating a National Environment Protection Agency and mandating emissions disclosure for large emitting projects. Indian companies operating in or exporting to Australia's mining, energy and critical minerals sectors face stricter compliance and project-level climate reporting.

The Australian Parliament passed the Environment Protection Reform Bill, amending the foundational Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in the most significant overhaul in decades. It establishes Australia's first National Environment Protection Agency as an independent regulator, introduces National Environmental Standards, mandates higher penalties for major breaches, and removes exemptions for high-risk land clearing and regional forest agreements. Proponents of large emitting projects must publicly disclose greenhouse gas emissions and emission reduction plans. The government estimates up to $7 billion in economic benefit. The reforms follow Professor Graeme Samuel's review.

Project proponents in renewable energy, housing, and critical minerals are directly affected, alongside coal and gas operators who remain under federal oversight via the retained 'water trigger'. Large emitting projects must now publicly disclose greenhouse gas emissions and detailed reduction plans, raising corporate reporting expectations. Land clearing and forestry operators lose prior exemptions. A new Streamlined Assessment Pathway rewards proponents providing comprehensive environmental information upfront with reduced approval timeframes, while regional 'go' and 'no go' zones add planning certainty.

Affected entities should prepare for the new National Environment Protection Agency and National Environmental Standards by integrating environmental impact management into the earliest stages of development. Large-project proponents must build capacity to publicly disclose emissions and reduction plans. Companies should monitor new bilateral agreements with state governments aimed at eliminating redundant assessments, and clarified definitions of 'unacceptable impacts' and 'net gain'. Using the Streamlined Assessment Pathway with upfront comprehensive information can secure faster approvals.

Key figure — Projected economic benefit: up to $7 billion into the Australian economy