A recent Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) report has highlighted some major problems with the way the health of our biodiversity is assessed and protected from sliding further towards extinction. In 2023 the addition of 144 animals, plants and ecological communities to the threatened species list was more than in any other year since the list was established.
Among those listed for the first time were the Pink Cockatoo (endangered), the Northern Blue-tongued Skink (critically endangered) and the Jardine River Turtle (critically endangered).
“Scientists nominated many of these species for listing years ago, so 2023’s high number shows the Environment Minister (Tanya Plibersek) and her department are clearing the backlog and making the list better reflect the reality,” said ACF nature campaigner Peta Bulling.
“The problem is the factors driving species onto the endangered list are not being stopped. In the last 12 months, 10,426 hectares (25,800 acres) of habitat destruction was approved under Australia’s national nature laws.”
She added that this amount of clearing approved was likely to be a fraction of total habitat actually cleared because land clearing in Australia often happens without being assessed under environmental laws. Along with many others concerned about biodiversity loss, Bulling wants to see the upcoming reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act address habitat destruction which is pushing our biodiversity towards extinction.
Consultation on the EPBC Act reforms commenced last year with experts and key stakeholder groups. It is expected that draft legislation will be introduced to federal parliament some time this year.
Since the new federal government was elected, Minister Plibersek has made listing decisions on 223 threatened species and eight ecological communities. These included 130 bushfire-affected species and eight bushfire-affected ecosystems.
While habitat clearing is a major driver of biodiversity loss that affects our region, we now have another major environmental problem – the arrival of fire ants – which requires urgent effective action from local, state and federal authorities – including from our local members of parliament – Hogan and Williamson.
- Leonie Blain
Published in the "Voices for the Earth" column in The Clarence Valley Independent , January 31, 2024.
