New additions to the threatened species list reveal climate change as a large and growing threat to nature that must be addressed in the government's reform of the national nature law, the Australian Conservation Foundation said today.
Australia's nocturnal and elusive night parrot has been moved a step closer to extinction, listed as 'critically endangered' on the threatened species list.
The night parrot is joined by eight species of crayfish, a worm-lizard and nine plants that were added to the ever-growing list of plants and animals threatened with extinction.
"Climate change is a threat to every single one of these species," said ACF's Acting CEO Paul Sinclair.
"The threat to nature from hotter air and sea temperatures and more extreme weather is acknowledged by the UN and the federal government's State of the Environment report.
"We can all see it - in the deteriorating condition of the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo from repeated coral bleaching, in the intense bushfires that have reduced biodiversity on Kangaroo Island, in the terrible toll of the algal bloom presently affecting South Australia's marine life and communities.
"Australia's national nature law is supposed to assess threats to nature, then approve or not approve proposed projects, based on whether their environmental impact would be acceptable or unacceptable," Dr Sinclair said.
"We've seen climate change's impact on nature rapidly accelerate in the 25 years since Australia's current national nature law came into force.
"If we want our reformed nature law to be fit for the 21st century, it needs to protect matters of national environmental significance from climate harm.
"All the science warns us climate change's impact on nature will keep growing; the reformed law must be ready for this and account for it."
ACF is looking for the reformed law to set clear, strong standards for nature protection, establish an independent EPA, introduce a 'quick no' for proposals that would have unacceptable impacts on nature, close loopholes to make sure the law covers native forest logging and deforestation for agriculture, and address climate harm in all decisions.
On 5 September the threatened species list was updated.
Fauna
The night parrot was uplisted from endangered to critically endangered
The narrow dwarf crayfish was listed as critically endangered
The swollen crayfish was listed as critically endangered
The Cardwell hairy crayfish was listed as critically endangered
The Balan spiny crayfish was listed as endangered
The Mallee worm-lizard was listed as endangered
Flecker's crayfish was listed as endangered
The terrestrial crayfish was listed as endangered
The orange-bellied crayfish was listed as endangered
The Maleny crayfish was listed as endangered
Flora
Thismia clavariodeswas listed as endangered
Kunzea juniperoides subsp. pernervosa was listed as endangered
Skirted bent-grass was listed as endangered
Thismia clavarioideswas listed as endangered
Cyphanthera scabrellawas listed as endangered
Millmerran mint bush was listed as critically endangered
Boronia grimshawiiwas listed as critically endangered
Androcalva inglewoodensiswas listed as critically endangered
Androcalva beeronensiswas listed as critically endangered
Image: Mallee worm-lizard by Max Tibby, iNaturalist
