Releasing its analysis on the eve of this year’s federal budget, the ACF called for policy reform matched by investment to build resilience to environmental threats.
The environment’s declining share of the budget has come as calls for greater action to address a climate emergency have grown. Scott Morrison has resisted pressure to join major developed countries in setting a science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2030, and to date not joined more than 100 other nations in adopting a formal target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
On the natural environment, a legislated review urged an overhaul of national conservation laws after finding Australia’s natural heritage environment was in a state of decline and under increasing threat. Scientists warn Australia is in the grip of an extinction crisis that is likely to have worsened after last year’s catastrophic bushfires.