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The Latest Breaking News from the Biodiversity Council

Around 9,000 species have already gone extinct in Australia and we’ll likely lose another this week – new study

More than 95% of Australian animals are invertebrates (animals without backbones – spiders, snails, insects, crabs, worms and others). There are at least 300,000 species of invertebrate in Australia. Of these, two-thirds are unknown to western science.

The Conversation

Yes, nature is complex. But saving our precious environment means finding ways to measure it

Nature loss directly threatens half the global economy. The rapid destruction of biodiversity should alarm the many Australian businesses dependent on nature, such as those in agriculture, tourism, construction and food manufacturing. Yet nature considerations are often ignored in business decision-making.

The Conversation

'Out of control': community divided over dingo decision

A long-awaited extension on dingo control measures has been hailed as a win for farmers, but nobody seems happy with the result.

AAP

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Reading desert sands – Indigenous wildlife tracking skills underpin vast monitoring project

As animals move across the desert, they leave tracks, diggings and droppings. For skilled trackers, reading these signs is like watching a movie. A story of who was there and what they were doing unfolds in front of them.

The Conversation

Bunyip birds and brolgas: how can we better protect species important to Indigenous people?

Kamilaroi Country lies in far northwest New South Wales, past Tamworth and crossing over the Queensland border. Here, the bunyip bird (Australasian bittern, Botaurus poiciloptilus), and the brolga (Grus rubicunda or burraalga in Kamilaroi) have been part of life, lore, spirit, dance and culture with Country for thousands of generations.

The Conversation

Here’s why more Australian scientists should team up with authors on books about animals

Few things are more wonderful than well-written and produced children’s books. They captivate kids, families and classrooms, leaving lifelong impressions. They shape our world. But for the most part, engaging and scientifically accurate children’s books on Australian animals – particularly the lesser-known species – are sorely lacking.

The Conversation

Poor compliance and broad exemptions mean land clearing continues apace in northern Australia – despite our laws and pledges

In 2021, Australia was one of 141 nations pledging to end deforestation by 2030 – just over five years from now.

The Conversation

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Australia’s nature is in deep crisis. These 3 easy steps would give our new environment laws teeth

The Albanese government’s environmental reforms are likely to feature prominently on federal parliament’s agenda this week. A Senate inquiry into the long-awaited reforms is due to deliver its findings on Monday. Meanwhile, the Coalition is reportedly preparing to oppose the changes, potentially forcing Labor into negotiations with the Greens.

The Conversation

Yes, Australia’s environment is on a depressing path – but $7 billion a year would transform it

The condition of Australia’s environment continues to decline. Many Australians wonder if it’s possible to reverse this depressing trajectory – and our landmark assessment released today shows the answer is yes.

The Conversation

Strong progress – from a low base: here’s what’s in NSW’s biodiversity reforms

The laws designed to protect the environment in New South Wales are completely ineffective, according to the scathing Henry Review in 2023.

The Conversation

A renewable energy transition that doesn’t harm nature? It’s not just possible, it’s essential

Earth is facing a human-driven climate crisis, which demands a rapid transition to low-carbon energy sources such as wind and solar power. But we’re also living through a mass extinction event. Never before in human history have there been such high such rates of species loss and ecosystem collapse.

The Conversation

What will Australia’s proposed Environment Information Agency do for nature?

Last week, the Albanese government introduced legislation to create a new statutory body called Environment Information Australia. The bill is due for debate in parliament today. The government clearly expects the bill will pass, because the new body has already been allocated A$54 million over four years in the May…

The Conversation

Threatened species have declined 2% a year since 2000. Nature positive? Far from it.

Our government has great aspirations. It has committed to end extinctions and expand our protected areas to cover 30% of every Australian ecosystem by 2030. This is part of its Nature Positive Plan, aligned with the 2022 Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity pact. The goal is not just to conserve nature but…

The Conversation

Event managers told to stay out of nature refuges

Scientists have told event managers to back off and keep their disruptive, showy events out of the nation's wildlife havens.

AAP

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The Conversation

Private landholders control 60% of the Australian continent – so let's get them involved in nature protection

As the federal government attempts a major overhaul of national environment law, all options must be on the table to prevent the fast deterioration in Australia’s natural places. And more than ever before, the efforts of private landholders should be front and centre.

The Guardian - AU

‘Stop the rapid loss of nature’: Labor warned to clamp down on biodiversity offsets in environment law overhaul

Biodiversity Council says offsets should be a last resort and only used for ‘nature that we can replace’

The Conversation

8 ways to tone down the Christmas lights to help wildlife – and why we should

The Australian government has launched a campaign asking people to “switch off light pollution” to protect wildlife. So, what does the science say? Should we rethink Christmas lights?

The Conversation

5 things we need to see in Australia's new nature laws

Australia’s abysmal rates of extinctions and land clearing since European colonisation are infamous globally. Our national environmental legislation has largely failed to protect biodiversity, including many threatened plants, animals and ecological communities. But change is afoot.

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The Conversation

Humpback whales hold lore for Traditional Custodians. But laws don't protect species for their cultural significance

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names of deceased people.

The Conversation

10-year feral cat plan brings us a step closer to properly protecting endangered wildlife

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has released a draft feral cat management plan.

The Conversation

Australia’s least wanted – 8 alien species and diseases we must keep out of our island home

This week’s landmark report on the impact of invasive alien species revealed costs to the global economy exceeded US$423 billion (A$654 billion) a year in 2019. Costs have at least quadrupled every decade since 1970 and that trend is set to continue.

The Conversation

Trapped: Australia’s extraordinary alpine insects are being marooned on mountaintops as the world warms

We may not pay invertebrates much thought, but they’re the workhorses of all ecosystems. Insects and other invertebrates do essential jobs such as pollinating plants, improving soils and controlling pests. They’re also food for many larger animals, which moves nutrients up the food chain.

The Conversation

Another assault on Country and its precious species has begun at Binybara/Lee Point

In federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s first major speech, she said:

The Conversation

Land clearing and fracking in Australia's Northern Territory threatens the world's largest intact tropical savanna

The Northern Territory government’s plan to turn 100,000 hectares over to large-scale crops such as cotton and its support for onshore gas extraction is threatening the world’s largest intact tropical savanna.

The Conversation

Victoria has rediscovered a dragon – how do we secure its future?

The Victorian grassland earless dragon (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla), not seen since 1969, has been found in grasslands west of Melbourne. No need to fear this dragon, though; these lizards are just 15cm long fully grown.

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