Macchiato: “The federal government’s changes to national environment laws are our chance to secure real protections for nature. Imagine living in a society without extinction. Imagine knowing that our forests, oceans, rivers, and wildlife were being defended from further harm. Imagine being confident that no matter who is trying to make a profit, our critical ecosystems would be protected from destruction. Sadly, we do not live in such a society. Australia has the highest rates of extinction in the world, and in 2023 we added more wildlife to the threatened species list than ever before. ![]() That’s why the Federal government’s plan to change the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) is so important. The EPBC is the act of parliament that provides a framework for protecting the Australian environment – and it is broken. “Australia’s animals, plants and habitats are in unsustainable decline. The EPBC Act is ineffective, out of date and requires fundamental reform.” Samuel Review, 2020 This is the best chance we’ve had in over 20 years to secure genuine protection for our forests, oceans, rivers, and wildlife. We need to make sure this moment isn’t wasted. A coalition of leading environment groups are calling for six fundamental changes to the way our environmental laws work: – Strong and enforceable national environmental standards – The rejection of projects that cause climate harm – Meaningful community participation in decision-making – Recovery strategies that set out a clear and accountable plan for saving threatened species – Make offsets a genuine last resort – Have a truly independent and well-funded environmental regulator. The government is currently seeking feedback on changes to the EPBC act. Please have your say on the reforms and join us in demanding deep, structural changes that stop the extinction crisis and begin to restore our precious environment. Submit your comments by 30 March 2024. The survey can be completed in less than 10 minutes, and your participation can have a huge impact on securing the changes we need. The good news is that this legislation will require the support of the progressive crossbench, who will be looking to the environment movement for guidance. As the leading voice for nature in NSW, we will do everything we can to secure the best possible outcomes for our forests, rivers, ocean and wildlife. You can expect to hear more about this critical piece of legislation and what we are doing to strengthen it throughout the year. Thanks for all that you do for nature.” Jacqui Mumford. ![]() Jacqui Mumford Chief Executive Officer Nature Conservation Council Contact us (NCC) directly by calling (02) 9516 1488 or by emailing us here. Authorised by Jacqui Mumford, Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales · 418A Elizabeth St, Level 8, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia |