You have an incredible opportunity to protect our living world.
The once-in-a-decade review of our failing national environment laws (the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) is under way, and the review wants your input!
While it may not seem urgent during this pandemic, the review will decide the fate of animals and plants for the next decade and beyond.
Will you take action today to help protect them? Write a quick 300 word or less comment asking for stronger laws, and help inform this crucial review.
If we all take a couple of minutes to speak out, we can send thousands of comments and show the review that so many of us love nature and want it properly protected.
When you’re done – or if you’ve already made a comment/submission – let us know, so we can measure the impact we’re making!
Here are the three most important things to include in your comment:
1. Your personal connection to nature
Maybe you’re a member of a local revegetation group, you build nesting boxes and insect hotels, or are passionate about echidnas.
Maybe you go bush walking, you sign petitions to protect endangered animals, or you love Jervis Bay.
All reasons to care about our environment are good reasons. And explaining your reasons will help the reviewers understand your stake in and concern for our national environment laws.
2. Why our laws are failing
Right now, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – our national environment laws – is failing because it’s out of date and full of holes.
It doesn’t even mention the words ‘climate change’.
It’s important to make clear to the review that this just isn’t good enough. Our national environment laws should properly protect nature.
Here are some facts – illustrating how our laws are failing – that you may wish to include in your comment:
- Australia leads the world on mammal extinction. We have experienced three animal extinctions since 2009, including the first made extinct by climate change – the Bramble Cay Melomys. (Source: Australia’s Faunal Extinction Crisis Inquiry Interim Report)
- Since the EPBC Act came into operation, 7.7 million hectares of threatened species’ habitat has been destroyed. (Source: ACF Fast-tracking Extinction Report)
- Australia is the only developed nation identified as a global deforestation hotspot. (Source: WWF 2018 Living Planet Report)
- The 2016 State of Environment report highlighted that the outlook for Australia’s biodiversity is “poor and worsening.” (Source: Australia’s State of the Environment Report 2016)
You might also find it helpful to draw a link between your personal connection to nature, and some of the above facts.
E.g. I am passionate about echidnas, and I am worried that Australia’s “poor and worsening” biodiversity will affect our native creatures.
3. What you hope for
Tell the review about the Australia you hope for – where nature and people thrive together. And be sure to ask for stronger environment laws to help make your hope a reality.
This puts the onus on the review to consider your request, and sends one final, clear message that sums up your comment.
If we all make similar requests – we’ll be sending one, strong and clear message!
The fresh air we breathe, the clean water we drink – nature sustains life, and we must protect it.
Thank you for taking the time to read through and speak out for nature and for all of us.
