Australia’s national environment law must urgently be fixed. It’s meant to protect our natural environment – and the people, communities, animals, and ecosystems which rely on it – from harm.
But right now, it does not directly address the biggest threat our environment faces: climate change.
The Albanese Government has publicly acknowledged that our national environment law is in need of fundamental reform, and promised to introduce its proposed changes by the end of the year. But so far, it has not committed to putting the protection of a safe climate at the heart of the law.
Climate Council, together with Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action, is calling on the Albanese Government to pause all polluting fossil fuel project approvals until our national environment law is strong, and effectively addresses climate change. It must make sure that the climate impacts of new developments are properly considered in the approvals process – and you can help us make this happen.
We call upon the Albanese Government to urgently act to strengthen our national environment law.
The natural environment sustains us all. Protecting our treasured natural places, our special plants and animals, and our homes and communities on the frontline from accelerating climate change should be a no-brainer.
Our environment law is meant to protect our special native species, wild places and communities from harm. Instead, it’s fundamentally broken, and green lighting new polluting fossil fuel projects, which are adding more harmful pollution and making climate change worse.
We’re already experiencing severe consequences as a result of our delay in phasing out fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. We remember the smoke, heat and widespread destruction of the Black Summer bushfires, and we know that due to accelerating climate change, extreme weather events like bushfires, floods, and heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more dangerous – putting our homes, lives and natural environment at risk.
Approving any new coal, oil and gas project is reckless, because it endangers our communities, clean air and water, unique wildlife and precious ecosystems.
But our national environment law has a fundamental flaw when it comes to climate change, and this must urgently be fixed as part of the government’s reforms.
We call on the Federal Government to pause all approvals for polluting new fossil fuel projects (including extensions) until our national environment law is strong, and effectively deals with climate impacts.
If you agree that addressing climate change should be at the heart of our national environment law, then sign your name and call for stronger protection from the Albanese Government.
Check out our explainer for everything you need to know about our national environment law.
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