The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s announcement that Australia will endorse the global Leaders’ Pledge for Nature.
The Leaders’ Pledge for Nature includes a commitment to ‘address the direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss and halt human induced extinction of species.’
“It is promising to see Prime Minister Albanese’s announcement today at a high-level UN event dedicated to achieving a nature positive world,” said ACF Chief Executive Kelly O’Shanassy.
“We see Mr Albanese’s involvement as an indication that the federal government will start to take the biodiversity crisis seriously.
“At present, Australia is failing to meet its international obligations. Conservation efforts are hugely underfunded and only 100 of Australia’s more than 1,900 listed threatened species and communities are prioritised for recovery action.
“ACF calls on Prime Minister Albanese and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to attend the UN’s nature COP15 in Montreal in December and demonstrate long overdue and genuine leadership on achieving a ‘nature positive’ world.
“When it comes to global biodiversity, Australia matters.
“Australians are proud of our rich and unique nature; 7 to 10% of all Earth’s species occur in Australia. And around 85% of the plant species found here are unique to this continent.
“But nature in Australia is in trouble. The latest State of the Environment report found Australia’s natural environment is in poor condition and is deteriorating.
“The global goal to end human induced extinctions cannot be achieved without ending habitat destruction in Australia.
“To halt the extinction crisis we need stronger national environment laws, an independent regulator to enforce them and adequate funding for the recovery of threatened species.”
New research by ACF shows roughly half Australia’s GDP (49% or $896 billion) has a moderate to very high direct dependence on nature.
