Australia is the world's sixth largest country and the driest inhabited continent on our planet. Home to an important variety of natural resources, it is one of 17 megadiverse countries and among the top 10 largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters in the OECD. Outlining a long-term low-carbon strategy and a plan for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is therefore essential. This third Environmental Performance Review of Australia provides 50 recommendations to help the country advance towards green growth and to improve its environmental governance and management.

The principal aim of the OECD Environmental Performance Review programme is to help member and selected partner countries improve their individual and collective performance in environmental management by:

Australia is among the top ten largest greenhouse gas emitters in the OECD. Over the past decade, it has managed to decouple GDP growth from the main environmental pressures. However, it has one of the most resource- and carbon-intensive OECD economies. Despite the increasing use of natural gas and renewable energy sources, the electricity mix remains heavily reliant on coal. Australia surpassed its Kyoto 2008-12 target and is on track to reach its 2020 climate target. Still, it needs to intensify efforts to reach its Paris Agreement goal. Adopting an integrated energy and climate policy framework for 2030 with an emission reduction goal for the power sector would avoid the projected rise in greenhouse gas emissions. Developing a long-term low-emission strategy, as Australia has committed to do, will help drive the transition.

The Assessment and recommendations present the main findings of the OECD Environmental Performance Review of Australia and identify 50 recommendations to help Australia make further progress towards its environmental policy objectives and international commitments. The OECD Working Party on Environmental Performance reviewed and approved the Assessment and recommendations at its meeting on 6 November 2018. Actions taken to implement selected recommendations from the 2007 Environmental Performance Review are summarised in the Annex.