ARTICLES
Animal Extinction – Australia’s Shabby Distinction
By Beccy Hulme and Tom Arup of the Australian Conservation Foundation, and George Pinniger
present: Climate-change looms large with the acidification of
the oceans having already taken place, reefs are dying, marine
systems collapsing. On the land, change in climate is resulting
in changes to rainfall patterns with the southern half of Australia
destined for long and damaging droughts. Northern Australia
can expect cyclones more often, and of an intensity never seen
before. We have had ten of the hottest years on record within the
last twelve years, and it will slowly keep getting hotter. Pollution
is another problem; whether it be waste gases from fossil fuel
combustion, waste plastic dumped into the ocean, or toxic
chemicals poured into the ground and freshwater aquifers.
On 14th November, 2018 it was revealed that the rate of
extinction of animals – land, sea and air – in Australia, is the
second-worst in the world, after Indonesia.
It was also revealed that careful scientific modelling indicates
that an increase in global temperature of between 5° and 6° is
sufficient to annihilate all living animals on planet Earth –
including us!
Although some scientists have recently discussed the possibility
of humans living on Mars, and how the harsh conditions might be
modified to sustain them, few would be willing to leave behind
them the beauty of Planet Earth, its blue sky, clouds, green trees
and multi-coloured flowers, the water, and the vast variety of
animals we take for granted.
Philip Heath, AM, Principal of Barker College in Sydney, winner
of the Teacher’s Guild’s Award for Excellence in Education in
2018, congratulated these motivated students for taking a stand.
Conservative politicians decried their actions, but these are the
very people who continue to provide public money to the fossil
fuel industry. The major problem for the politicians in the present
Federal LNP Government is that they are spending their efforts
propping up highly polluting fossil fuel industries, including coal
and gas, even going so far as ‘fracking’ shale deposits in the
Northern Territory for gas rather than searching for solutions to
the impacts of excessive carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gas emission. Coal mining companies along with petroleum
producers are pouring money into any political party that takes
the soft option of supporting the status quo.
On 29th March, 2018, the Australian Conservation Foundation
publicly appealed that the planned Agriculture Review should
not further weaken our already weak environmental protections,
arguing: “Rather than weaken environment laws, all Australian
farmers should be supported by our elected representatives to
look after nature.”
Following the release of the 2018 Federal Budget on 8th May, the
ACF comment was, “Investment in a healthy environment was cut
to bare bones, while fossil fuel subsidies continue. The Budget
pushes through more damaging environment cuts and continues
reckless fossil fuel subsidies.”
Clearly the warnings are being ignored. Is it just our politicians to
blame? Or is it our own fault? Far too few voters have contacted
their local MPs and expressed their dismay at this state of affairs!
Not only do they need to express their concerns, they also need
to indicate as clearly as possible what changes in policy and
actions are required to rectify the situation. The Federal Government, supported by sufficient Senate
independents, recently agreed to reduce the area of the Marine
National Parks by approximately 50%. Their reasons were that
commercial fishermen could not get enough fish to remain in
business without being granted access to these protected areas.
This very action will guarantee that these fishermen will not
have a livelihood in the future, whilst further damage is done to
marine ecosystems. Australia’s shellfish and seafood industries
are already struggling because our government has not acted
strongly enough to prevent overfishing, which must inevitably
capture fish that have been protected until now by the Marine
Parks. It’s obvious – it’s inevitable – we must consider the future
when such decisions are made.
Australians living in the present time should reflect seriously
upon the heritage we are inflicting upon our children. Recently,
large numbers of students from countries around the world went
on strike demanding a change to the environmental laws and an
increase in environmental protection. It seems that our students
are more prepared to act whereas we adults do not. Just consider
the range of environmental catastrophes facing our world at In NSW, ruthless agric-companies have been allowed to increase
their land clearing quotas. This action will further exacerbate
climate change, whilst in the short-term it will drive many
terrestrial species further towards extinction. Most recently we
have learned that koalas are dying because the trees no longer
have enough water in their leaves to keep these animals alive, yet
still our politicians succumb to the easy money and persuasion of
Less than a week later, on 13th May, their report was: “Massive
Cape York land clearing approval would undercut (then P.M.
Malcolm) Turnbull’s reef rescue plan. The swathe of tree clearing
at the Kingvale Station could cause harm to the Great Barrier
Reef and endangered species.”
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 1