Attempts To Protect Australian Threatened Species From Development Are Failing

A new study has revealed decisions by environment ministers to either wave through projects or impose stricter conditions to protect threatened specials has made little to no difference to the number of habitats destroyed.

Five-hundred and seventeen projected referred under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conversation Act between 2000 and 2015 were examined as part of the study.

Habitat loss for threatened species and migratory species as well as damage to threatened ecological environments was looked at as part of the study published in the Conservation Science and Practice journal.

Over half of habitats cleared were in response to a minister declaring projects – including to build infrastructure, mines, and urban developments – would have a “non-significant” impact on animals and habitats. 

Under current laws, projects are referred to government ministers who can conclude if it is “non-significant” or a “controlled action” – meaning more assessment is required.

About 365 of the projects examined were deemed “not significant” by the serving minister under the law, and 152 were judged to be a “controlled action”.

Any project classified as “non-significant” should have resulted in less habitats cleared however the study revealed this wasn’t the case.

“This makes it very clear we’ve been failing to protect threatened species. We’ve been doing the opposite and losing habitat at a great rate. We find ourselves in a precarious situation especially with climate change now being the amplifier [to threats] that it is,” Brendan Sydes, national biodiversity policy adviser at the Australian Conservation Foundation told the Guardian.

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