CANBERRA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A coalition of Australian environmental law experts on Tuesday called for a comprehensive rethink of how the nation protects its natural landscapes.
In a blueprint launched on Tuesday, the Australian Panel of Experts on Environmental Law (APEEL) called for independent agencies to be established to ensure that a new generation of environment laws are enforced.
The panel of 14 experts said that the need for change arose from Australia's failing biodiversity and the threat of climate change.
"Australia is one of the most ancient, naturally beautiful and biodiverse places on Earth," the report said.
"It is rich in some natural resources, whilst others such as water are scarce. It has a unique natural and cultural heritage that contributes to the nation's wellbeing.
"A robust system of environmental management is vital to Australia's future. A critical part of this system is laws that enable the preservation, management and restoration of our common heritage. Whilst there is a limit to what laws alone can achieve, they are crucial for ensuring Australia sustains a healthy, resilient and productive environment."
The panel found that that Australia's current environmental management has become increasingly politicized and is poor as a result.
The blueprint made 57 recommendations for change, including inviting the public into the decision making process on proposed developments, and a recommendation the report said stemmed from a failure to properly assess the environmental impact of large-scale projects.
"If you believe in a democracy, then you believe ordinary people should be encouraged to get in and have a say, and that's not the case at the moment. If anything the opposite is the case," Murray Wilcox, a panel member and former Federal Court judge, said.
