The Australian Greens have presented a proposal aimed at breaking a nearly two-year deadlock over environmental reform, offering a compromise to facilitate the passage of the federal government’s long-awaited environmental protection laws.
As the parliament heads into what could be its final sitting weeks before the next election, the Greens have agreed to postpone their demand for a “climate trigger” in exchange for stronger protections for native forests and critical habitats. This move comes amid increasing pressure from both major political parties to resolve the issue before the election.
The environmental reforms, which aim to update 25-year-old laws governing environmental approvals, were initially supported by both business groups and environmental advocates. However, the inclusion of a climate trigger, which would require land-use approvals to consider climate impacts, has caused division. The Labor government has firmly opposed this, arguing that emissions reduction is already addressed through separate policies, such as the safeguard mechanism for heavy industries.
In return for delaying their demand for the climate trigger, the Greens are advocating for enhanced action on logging and deforestation, specifically calling for the removal of exemptions in the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act that currently allow large-scale native forest logging and land clearing to bypass assessments.
The Greens’ proposal seeks to balance the interests of various stakeholders, including business and nature protection groups. It also aims to address concerns from key independents, such as ACT Senator David Pocock, who may support the plan. However, the proposal could face opposition from resource-dependent states like Western Australia and Queensland, where the mining industry plays a significant role.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been working to find a solution to the reform, which includes the creation of an independent federal environmental protection agency. The reforms were a promise made by the Labor government during the last election, based on recommendations from a 2019 review led by Graeme Samuel.
The revised Greens offer is expected to gain some support from both business and environmental groups, but the proposal’s potential impact on logging industries in New South Wales and Tasmania could complicate matters for Labor. Nevertheless, the Greens have expressed their commitment to securing environmental protection measures, including forest preservation, ahead of the election.
Despite the Greens’ compromise, they have indicated that their fight for the inclusion of a climate trigger in future environmental laws will continue into the next election. The Greens’ spokesperson for the environment, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, emphasized the importance of protecting native forests and threatened species, asserting that the proposed changes would have significant benefits for biodiversity, climate, and communities.
Negotiations between the Greens, Labor, and the Coalition have been ongoing, with the window for reaching an agreement closing as the government prepares to prioritize other key legislation in the final weeks of the parliamentary session. However, the Greens remain optimistic that a deal could still be reached to pass the reform in its current form.
The government is expected to prioritize other major initiatives, such as childcare worker salary increases, university student debt relief, aged care reforms, and anti-scam legislation in the coming weeks.
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