<
https://theconversation.com/we-must-assess-cumulative-impacts-to-protect-nature-from-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-215988>
"Australia’s national environment protection law ignores the big picture. Like
a racehorse wearing blinkers, decision-makers focus on a single project in
isolation. If they dropped the blinkers and considered the combined effects of
multiple projects, they might shy away from allowing so many harmful impacts.
Urgent reform is needed because nature is suffering death by a thousand cuts.
We have more than 2,000 threatened species and ecological communities – groups
of plants and animals that live together and interact, such as Western
Australia’s iconic Banksia woodlands. That number is likely to grow, as
hundreds more await assessment for listing.
Today, the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, which includes one of the
authors of this article, is releasing a report outlining the practical steps
needed to fix the law. It draws on both international and Australian experience
to recommend pragmatic solutions that also minimise the administrative burden
for landholders.
The report finds regional planning can help. But rolling out regional planning
won’t happen fast, nor will it alone fix this problem. Addressing cumulative
impacts on already threatened biodiversity means every impact must be counted,
and countered."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
