Australia's Biodiversity Faces Funding Gap Despite Global Conservation Push
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Australia, a megadiverse country with a high rate of species extinction, is allocating a small fraction of its federal budget to nature protection. Experts suggest a significant increase in funding is needed to address the growing list of threatened species and restore ecosystems. This comes after the global Kunming-Montreal framework set new biodiversity targets.
Facts First
- Australia is one of 17 'megadiverse' nations, collectively accounting for 70% of Earth's biodiversity.
- The country has more than 2,200 threatened species, a number that is increasing.
- Only 0.06% of Australia's federal spending is allocated to nature in the latest annual budget.
- A group of experts suggests about 1% of the federal budget could save most threatened species and restore soils and rivers.
- The global Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed upon at a U.N. summit in 2022.
What Happened
Australia's federal budget allocates 0.06% of spending to nature, according to the latest annual budget. This funding level exists alongside a growing list of more than 2,200 threatened species in the country. Euan Ritchie, a professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at Deakin University and a councilor with the academic Biodiversity Council, is among approximately 60 experts who suggest that about 1% of the federal budget would be required to save most threatened species and restore soils and rivers.
Why this Matters to You
A decline in native wildlife and degraded soils and rivers could affect the natural landscapes you enjoy and the long-term health of Australia's agricultural and tourism sectors. The gap between current funding and expert recommendations suggests that public support for increased conservation investment may be needed to protect the unique species found nowhere else on Earth.
What's Next
The global Kunming-Montreal framework provides an international context for national conservation efforts. The expert proposal for increased funding may influence future budget discussions and policy decisions regarding Australia's threatened species and ecosystem restoration.