Koala’s are one of the most at risk Australian animals of going extinct. Source: Freepik.
The Greens have said they will stop the extinction crisis that is grappling the nation, citing that our “biodiversity is in serious decline”.
They’ve committed to a Zero Extinction target by 2030 which would mean no more loss of species, protecting habitats from land clearing and degrading while also helping to restore the ecosystem. More than that, they’ve extended the commitment to protecting 30 per cent of the land and 30 per cent of the sea, all expected to cost $24.4 billion.
According to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world, adding that almost 3 billion animals were killed in the 2019 bushfires.
New environmental laws, restoration programs and an end to logging will be at the top of The Greens environmental agenda. Mines would also be subjected to environmental impact assessments before they could commence operations.
Greens leader Adam Brandt said action needs to be taken now.
“Our forests, wildlife and oceans are dying, and we are at a point in history where, if we don’t act, we face total ecosystem collapse.
“The Greens are the only party in this campaign with costed plans to tackle the extinction crisis and protect our environment.”
They say this initiative will create over 10,000 direct and 17,000 indirect jobs.
Wilderness.org says that there are over 119 different species within Australia that are at threat of extinction. The Kangaroo Island Dunnart and Echidna, Mountain Pygmy-possum, Smoky Mouse, and Koala are just some of the animals who face an uncertain future.
Nature Australia.org detailed some of the reasons why these animals are threatened.
“These extinctions have occurred since European settlement. Sadly, more mammal species have become extinct in Australia than any other country.
“Only 60 years ago, we could still find quolls around Melbourne. Pig-footed Bandicoots, Crescent Nailtail Wallabies and Desert Rat-kangaroos in central Australia. Those animals have gone.
“Species that had thrived on the Australian landscape for hundreds of thousands, even millions of years have tragically disappeared in just a few decades. This is mostly due to predation or competition by feral animals and habitat destruction.”
