Protecting biodiversity is up to all of us.

Biodiversity Council

https://biodiversitycouncil.org.au/take-action

Have your say: help shape the Standard that protects nature from damaging developments

The new National Environmental Standard for Matters of National Environmental Significance, or MNES, is not adequate to halt the decline of our most precious species and places. Now is the time to help shape this Standard for biodiversity.

Use the hyperlink to add your say to the petition

The new National Environmental Standard for Matters of National Environmental Significance, or MNES, is not adequate to halt the decline of our most precious species and places.

We have identified four key flaws that must be addressed for this important regulation to fulfill its purpose of protecting threatened plants, animals and important World Heritage Areas, like the Great Barrier Reef, from harmful developments.

The Standard must:

• Focus on outcomes for MNES not just procedures, which can be gamed by developers.

• Protect all areas important for long-term survival, like wildlife corridors, climate refuges and areas needed for new and recovering populations, not just "irreplaceable" habitat.

• Address the cumulative impacts of individual projects on species survival to prevent developments from whittling away threatened species habitat.

• Incorporate monitoring, evaluation, reporting and adaptive improvement to keep pace with changing environments, especially under climate change.

Nature matters; it underpins our culture, economy, health, food security, water quality, and climate resilience.

Please join us in sending a message to your local members of parliament that this Standard needs to be improved, so that it works for nature.

Send the letter as is or personalise for added impact.

We will be publishing our submission soon if you would like to comment on the MNES Standard through the Government's public consultation survey.

About the Biodiversity Council

The Biodiversity Council is an independent expert group founded by 11 Australian universities to promote evidence-based solutions to Australia’s biodiversity crisis.

Our mission is to be a trusted expert voice communicating accurate information on Australia’s most pressing biodiversity issues to the community, businesses and governments, to motivate effective evidence-based action to ensure biodiversity and Country prosper.

Our Biodiversity Councillors are leading experts, in science, Indigenous knowledge, law, policy, economics, behaviour change and communications. Scroll down to see our people.