These long-delayed laws took three years, a new Environment Minister and a slew of compromises to be passed.
- Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland
After years of failed attempts, Australia’s environmental laws are finally getting an overhaul. But will they stop the damage done to nature?
Labor’s long-awaited environmental reforms do represent progress. But ambition levels have been dialled back and much depends on the detail.
Australia’s nature laws are now in even worse shape than when Labor was elected in 2022. But this is why things could be different this term.
Past policy positions and musings of new Liberal leader Sussan Ley offer insights into future directions on renewable energy, environment laws, and more.
After shelving plans to reform Australia’s nature laws, the prime minister wants to walk back existing protections with new legislation introduced this week.
All countries must accelerate efforts to avert the biodiversity crisis, and preserve Earth’s precious natural places for future generations.
Australia’s main environment laws have long been regarded as not fit for purpose. But efforts to strengthen environmental protection have met huge pushback.
Australia committed to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030 when we signed the global biodiversity framework. But what does that really mean? It’s open to interpretation. So let’s be ambitious.
The mine was not refused on climate change grounds. So without legal reform, other fossil fuel projects may still go ahead.
Here are four reasons their victory is so significant.
The fate of a Queensland mine extension could be sealed today with a ruling on the ongoing case by Australia’s highest court.
Queensland’s new human rights act has opened the door for a flood of climate change litigation.
A NSW court’s decision to rule out a coalmine on the basis of climate change could signal a turning of the tide in an arena where environmental litigants have previously struggled to gain traction.
Queensland’s Supreme Court has backed the state government’s decision to approve the proposed Carmichael coal mine. But environmental groups have scored some key legal points on climate considerations.
The ACF has retreated from an “insider” approach of lobbying politicians for policy change, towards a more grass-roots approach, harnessing community support. And it seems to be working.
Wild seas have left beaches eroded and houses close to collapse.
Activists want the Carmichael mine stopped. But what does the law say?
The Australian government has stepped up its campaign this month to prevent the Great Barrier Reef being listed as a World Heritage site “in danger” at international meetings next year. The World Heritage…
Queensland Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney’s decision, revealed this week, to order a Brisbane council to remove future sea-level rise from its planning regulations seems a rather short-sighted thing to do…
Australia’s southern coastal wetlands are more diverse than most people realise. In a recent paper, Paul Boon suggests they provide valuable ecological services that exceed those of inland wetland ecosystems…
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