Amy Ashman
Submission in response to discussion paper
Some have argued that past changes to the EPBC Act to add new matters of national environmental significance did not go far enough. Others have argued it has extended the regulatory reach of the Commonwealth too far. What do you think?
Past changes to the EPBC Act were not sufficient. Australia is a global deforestation hotspot, and 7.7 million hectares of threatened species habitat have been decimated in the 20 years since the EPBC Act came into operation (source: Ward, M., Simmonds, J., Reside, A., Watson, J, Rhodes, J., Possingham, H., Trezise, J., File, L., Fletcher, R., Taylor, M. (2019). Lots of loss with little scrutiny: the attrition of habitat critical for threatened species in Australia. Conservation Science and Practice, doi:10.1111/csp2.117). We need a rapid shift in thought and action towards the law and policies that protect our natural environment. Specifically, the Act must place significant land-clearing activities and significant greenhouse gas emissions as new matters of environmental significance. The EPBC Act must acknowledge the indisputable scientific evidence that anthropogenic climate change is threatening biodiversity and human health and existence. Australia must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as a matter of upmost importance, and the EPBC Act should include greenhouse gas emissions as a trigger to ensure that development is in line with Australia’s responsibility towards reducing emissions.
Should the matters of national environmental significance within the EPBC Act be changed? How?
Past changes to the EPBC Act were not sufficient. Australia is a global deforestation hotspot, and 7.7 million hectares of threatened species habitat have been decimated in the 20 years since the EPBC Act came into operation (source: Ward, M., Simmonds, J., Reside, A., Watson, J, Rhodes, J., Possingham, H., Trezise, J., File, L., Fletcher, R., Taylor, M. (2019). Lots of loss with little scrutiny: the attrition of habitat critical for threatened species in Australia. Conservation Science and Practice, doi:10.1111/csp2.117).
We need a rapid shift in thought and action towards the law and policies that protect our natural environment. Specifically, the Act must place significant land-clearing activities and significant greenhouse gas emissions as new matters of environmental significance. The EPBC Act must acknowledge the indisputable scientific evidence that anthropogenic climate change is threatening biodiversity and human health and existence. Australia must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as a matter of upmost importance, and the EPBC Act should include greenhouse gas emissions as a trigger to ensure that development is in line with Australia’s responsibility towards reducing emissions.
What high level concerns should the review focus on? For example, should there be greater focus on better guidance on the EPBC Act, including clear environmental standards? How effective has the EPBC Act been in achieving its statutory objectives to protect the environment and promote ecologically sustainable development and biodiversity conservation? What have been the economic costs associated with the operation and administration of the EPBC Act?
Given the absolute urgency required to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce Australia’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, the EPBC Act should include significant greenhouse gas emissions and land-clearing activities as matters of national environmental significance.
What additional future trends or supporting evidence should be drawn on to inform the review?
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2018 ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 ?C’ needs to be considered as high-level evidence supporting changes to the Act.
How should community involvement in decision-making under the EPBC Act be improved? For example, should community representation in environmental advisory and decision making bodies be increased?
Accessible and open community consultation and participation processes needs to occur in every stage of decision-making under the Act. Information about the Act and decisions that it covers need to be disclosed, readily accessible to the public and reported in plain English and in a timely manner.
An independent National Environment Commission should be established, as recommended by the Wilderness Society.
Attachments
Additional information has been provided as an attachment for this submission. The attachment can be downloaded using the links on the right hand side of this page.