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103-656: The Conservation Foundation may refer to: Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) African Conservation Foundation Conservation Foundation, UK Conservation Foundation (New York) , founded 1948, merged into the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1990 The Conservation Foundation (Illinois) , formerly the Forest Foundation of DuPage County See also [ edit ] All pages with titles containing Conservation Foundation Topics referred to by

206-783: A Sustainable Australia was launched by Sir William Deane , then Governor General of Australia . The blueprint outlined ACF's vision for a sustainable Australia and set out inspirational and long-term solutions to environmental problems. Some of the key initiatives of the blueprint were a national project of sustainability reform; a long-term, strategic commitment to land and water repair; greenhouse gas reductions and energy efficiency; environmental tax reform; reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians; and building social capital to ensure all Australians benefit from their great natural advantages. Environmental law in Australia Examples of laws designed to preserve

309-614: A close, the wave of public support for conservation escalated. The 1970s was the decade when the ACF consolidated its operations, extended its vision and committed to long-term plans for the achievement of conservation goals. In 1970, the campaign to protect large areas of the Mallee in Victoria was resolved in favour of conservation. In 1972 the remote and beautiful Lake Pedder in Tasmania

412-582: A core concept of international environmental discussion ever since, including at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit 2002), and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit 2012, or Rio+20). Defined by UNEP to include intergenerational equity – "the right of future generations to enjoy a fair level of the common patrimony" – and intragenerational equity – "the right of all people within

515-797: A country's legal system is completely divorced from its moral values, people may not abide by the laws and they will lose their significance and effectiveness. Despite environmental regulations, the water in India's River Ganges remains poor as an example. According to the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE), the major environmental issues in Africa are "drought and flooding , air pollution, deforestation , loss of biodiversity , freshwater availability, degradation of soil and vegetation, and widespread poverty." The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

618-432: A demand for new approaches to development. In conjunction with this need, the principle of "Buen Vivir," or good living – focused on social, environmental and spiritual wealth versus material wealth – gained popularity among citizens and was incorporated into the new constitution. The influence of indigenous groups, from whom the concept of "Buen Vivir" originates, in the forming of the constitutional ideals also facilitated

721-822: A greater significance to the protection of our natural world". ACF played a significant role in securing Antarctica's conservation and protection. In 1989 the Hawke Government implemented a treaty to ban mining in Antarctica indefinitely. ACF campaigned for many years in the 1970s and 1980s to protect the Daintree Rainforests and achieve World Heritage status for the Wet Tropics area – a move that now protects around 900,000 hectares. The Koongarra area within Kakadu National Park

824-664: A historic alliance between ACF and the National Farmers Federation called for the establishment of a national Landcare program. Landcare provided a vision for the transformation to ecological sustainability that was embraced by all major political parties. The 1990s were to be declared 'The Decade of Landcare'. One of the most important environment decisions in global terms was the Australian government's rejection of mining in Antarctica in 1989. A policy of protection for Antarctica had been developed by ACF in

927-795: A legal entity when its certificate of incorporation was issued in August 1966. Early meetings of the ACF Council identified the Mallee , rainforests , the Great Barrier Reef and central Australia as the areas most needing coordinated national attention and action. However, due to limited resources and the urgency of the threats to the Great Barrier Reef, the ACF focussed on protecting the Reef from mining and oil drilling. During

1030-491: A legal obligation of a clean environment, by establishing a principle of compensation and a foundation of criminal nature. By this phenomenon , Congolese environmental law is situated between non-regression and the search for efficiency." With the enactment of the 2008 Constitution , Ecuador became the first country in the world to codify the Rights of Nature . The Constitution, specifically Articles 10 and 71–74, recognizes

1133-474: A legal structure to collect license fees and other money which is used to fund conservation efforts as well as to obtain harvest information used in wildlife management practice. Environmental law has developed in response to emerging awareness of—and concern over—issues impacting the world. While laws have developed piecemeal and for a variety of reasons, some effort has gone into identifying key concepts and guiding principles common to environmental law as

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1236-431: A means for protecting species deemed important for other reasons. Regulatory efforts may include the creation of special conservation statuses , prohibitions on killing, harming, or disturbing protected species, efforts to induce and support species recovery, establishment of wildlife refuges to support conservation, and prohibitions on trafficking in species or animal parts to combat poaching . Fish and game laws regulate

1339-601: A million hectares of Aboriginal freehold. The Climate Reality Project Australia, formed in 2006, ran in partnership with the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) until 2016. Since December 2016, it is hosted by the Melbourne Sustainability Society Institute. Founded by former US vice president Al Gore, the project has been successful in ensuring that one in 60 Australians have seen a presentation on

1442-757: A national Clean Energy Transformation Plan to shift Australia to 100% clean energy by 2050; transition Australia away from coal, oil and gas; and increase energy efficiency. In the same month, ACF launched a Clean Energy Leadership Forum with 17 prominent Australians from diverse sectors to develop a blueprint for a clean energy transformation. Members include former Governor-General Dame Quentin Bryce, AGL Energy CEO Mr Andrew Vesey and TV presenter Ms Indira Naidoo. Members presented this evidence-based plan for transition to political decision makers in November 2016. The blueprint details eight foundational actions that should form

1545-548: A national conservation body. Ratcliffe saw conservation as one of the three most important issues facing humanity, along with the avoidance of an atomic war and achieving racial harmony. In August 1964, at a conference in Canberra, the organisation that was to become the Australian Conservation Foundation was born. Its first president was Sir Garfield Barwick , then Chief Justice of the High Court . The ACF came into being as

1648-696: A number of other Australian conservation organisations to launch the Places You Love campaign ahead of the September 2013 Federal election. The organisations are all concerned with the Council of Australian Government's' proposals to wind back Australian environmental laws. ACF pressed the Federal Government to lead a campaign for a worldwide ban to whaling and for an end to whaling in Australian waters. Thirty thousand supporters responded to

1751-402: A primary treaty. They exist in many areas of international law but are especially useful in the environmental field, where they may be used to regularly incorporate recent scientific knowledge. They also permit countries to reach an agreement on a framework that would be contentious if every detail were to be agreed upon in advance. The most widely known protocol in international environmental law

1854-399: A reaction to a combination of political, economic, and social phenomena. Ecuador's abusive past with the oil industry , most famously the class-action litigation against Chevron , and the failure of an extraction-based economy and neoliberal reforms to bring economic prosperity to the region has resulted in the election of a New Leftist regime, led by President Rafael Correa , and sparked

1957-561: A reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation . The principle may play a role in any debate over the need for environmental regulation. The polluter pays principle is the idea that "the environmental costs of economic activities, including the cost of preventing potential harm, should be internalized rather than imposed upon society at large." All issues related to responsibility for cost for environmental remediation and compliance with pollution control regulations involve this principle. Environmental law

2060-769: A report, Funding the transition to a clean energy economy, which assessed the tools used to support clean energy investment in other countries, and first put forward the blueprint for a $ 2 billion a year Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The $ 10 billion CEFC was accepted as part of the Clean Energy Future Package in July 2011, passing through parliament as law in June 2012. In 2015, ACF led the People's Climate March in Melbourne, which kicked off global marches around

2163-446: A result of environmental regulations, which can ultimately create an additional barrier to entry for new firms, thus stifling competition and innovation. Global and regional environmental issues are increasingly the subject of international law . Debates over environmental concerns implicate core principles of international law and have been the subject of numerous international agreements and declarations. Customary international law

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2266-456: A television advertising campaign to 'Save the Whales'. In a 2004 speech to mark the 25-year anniversary of the end of this slaughter, former ACF president, Peter Garrett, described the ban on whaling – which came after examination of evidence from scientists and conservation groups that included the ACF and Project Jonah – as "a critical moment for...the many Australians who were beginning to attach

2369-533: A whole. Some laws are seen as temporary or transitional where political realities prevent adoption of more ideal rules. Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical letter Laudato si' acknowledged that "political realism may call for transitional measures and technologies, so long as these are accompanied by the gradual framing and acceptance of binding commitments". The principles discussed below are not an exhaustive list and are not universally recognized or accepted. Nonetheless, they represent important principles for

2472-433: Is a continuing source of controversy. Debates over the necessity, fairness, and cost of environmental regulation are ongoing, as well as regarding the appropriateness of regulations versus market solutions to achieve even agreed-upon ends. Allegations of scientific uncertainty fuel the ongoing debate over greenhouse gas regulation, and are a major factor in debates over whether to ban particular pesticides. In cases where

2575-403: Is an important source of international environmental law. These are the norms and rules that countries follow as a matter of custom and they are so prevalent that they bind all states in the world. When a principle becomes customary law is not clear cut and many arguments are put forward by states not wishing to be bound. Examples of customary international law relevant to the environment include

2678-520: Is currently in the process of developing more stringent legal controls. The harmonization of Chinese society and the natural environment is billed as a rising policy priority. Environmental lawsuits have been available in China since the early 2000s. Public protest, however, plays a greater role in shaping China's environmental policy than litigation does. In the Republic of Congo , inspired by

2781-468: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Australian Conservation Foundation The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) is Australia's national environmental organisation, launched in 1965 in response to a proposal by the World Wide Fund for Nature for a more co-ordinated approach to sustainability. One high-profile campaign

2884-555: Is enforced by the Central Pollution Control Board and the numerous State Pollution Control Boards. Apart from this, there are also individual legislation specifically enacted for the protection of Water, Air, Wildlife, etc. Such legislations include : The Basic Environmental Law is the basic structure of Japan's environmental policies replacing the Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control and

2987-547: Is focused on the "growing urban and industrial pollution, water quality, electronic waste and indoor air from cookstoves." They hope to provide enough aid on concerns regarding pollution before their impacts contaminate the African environment as well as the global environment. By doing so, they intend to "protect human health, particularly vulnerable populations such as children and the poor." In order to accomplish these goals in Africa, EPA programs are focused on strengthening

3090-503: Is split between private and public management, with public forests being sovereign property of the State. Forestry laws are now considered an international affair. Wildlife laws govern the potential impact of human activity on wild animals, whether directly on individuals or populations, or indirectly via habitat degradation. Similar laws may operate to protect plant species. Such laws may be enacted entirely to protect biodiversity , or as

3193-714: Is summed up by former Senator and founder of Earth Day Gaylord Nelson , "The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the other way around." Furthermore, environmental issues are seen by many as having an ethical or moral dimension, which would transcend financial cost. Even so, there are some efforts underway to systemically recognize environmental costs and assets, and account for them properly in economic terms. While affected industries spark controversy in fighting regulation, there are also many environmentalists and public interest groups who believe that current regulations are inadequate, and advocate for stronger protection. Environmental law conferences – such as

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3296-914: Is the Kyoto Protocol , which followed from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change . While the bodies that proposed, argued, agreed upon, and ultimately adopted existing international agreements vary according to each agreement, certain conferences, including 1972's United Nations Conference on the Human Environment , 1983's World Commission on Environment and Development , 1992's United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , and 2002's World Summit on Sustainable Development have been particularly important. Multilateral environmental agreements sometimes create an International Organization, Institution or Body responsible for implementing

3399-481: Is the Stand up for Straddie campaign, which highlighted the effects of sand mining on Stradbroke Island. The organisation is acutely aware of its limited resources and strives to apply these strategically. This said, ACF is often called upon to comment on local issues and will often lend local environmental groups a helping hand. More often than not, ACF will work closely with other environmental groups – large or small – on

3502-698: The "Tasmanian Dam Case", was a highly significant case in Australian environmental law. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is the centerpiece of environmental legislation in Australia. It sets up the "legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places" and focuses on protecting world heritage properties, national heritage properties, wetlands of international importance, nationally threatened species and ecological communities, migratory species, Commonwealth marine areas, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park , and

3605-405: The 1960s, the ACF developed most of the campaign methods it used for the following twenty-five years. They included research, policy development, education and lobbying. The ACF gave support to other conservation organisations and established local branches. Ratcliffe had a vision of building a large body of members to support ACF financially and assist with community education. As the 1960s drew to

3708-418: The 1980s, ACF developed into an organisation that was more professional, more strategic in its alliances and more politically sophisticated. The decade closed with environmental issues high on the political agenda and ACF the leading national advocate for the environment. In the 1990s ACF redefined its vision and sought to inspire a society that was environmentally aware and responsible. ACF positioned itself in

3811-460: The 1998 blockade gained significant media attention and put Jabiluka on the national and international agenda. This campaign took a big step forward when the Mirarr people and mining company ERA signed an agreement that gives the Mirarr a veto on any future development at the stalled Jabiluka mine-site. ACF Executive Director Don Henry described the decision as "good news for Kakadu and a tribute to

3914-478: The African models of the 1990s, the phenomenon of constitutionalization of environmental law appeared in 1992, which completed an historical development of environmental law and policy dating back to the years of independence and even long before the colonization. It gives a constitutional basis to environmental protection, which traditionally was part of the legal framework. The two Constitutions of 15 March 1992 and 20 January 2002 concretize this paradigm, by stating

4017-797: The Asia-Pacific region. The fight to stop mining at Coronation Hill succeeded in 1991 and from 1992 ACF was key in highlighting the environmental and social impacts of the Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea . The 1990s were the decade in which greenhouse pollution and climate change became critical issues. ACF helped to establish the Sustainable Energy Industries Council of Australia and the Federal government agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by

4120-566: The Australian government declared the Great Barrier Reef a national marine park. In the 1980s, the ACF community campaigned for the Reef's World Heritage listing – and won. In the early 2000s, one of ACF's greatest successes was in influencing the expansion of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Over 3,500 submissions from ACF supporters to the Marine Park Authority saw environmentally protected areas of

4223-754: The Carmichael coal mine – a mine that would be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. ACF argued that in making his decision, the Environment Minister did not correctly or fully consider the impact or likely impact of pollution on the Great Barrier Reef from the coal burnt in India. The hearings were held in Brisbane's Federal Court on 3–4 May 2016 before Justice Griffiths. The Federal Court dismissed ACF's challenge on Monday 29 August 2016. On 3 March, ACF went back to court to appeal

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4326-648: The EU (so called regulations) and many directives that must be implemented into national legislation from the 27 member states (national states). Examples are the Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 on the implementation of CITES; or the Natura 2000 network the centerpiece for nature & biodiversity policy, encompassing the bird Directive (79/409/EEC/ changed to 2009/147/EC)and the habitats directive (92/43/EEC). Which are made up of multiple SACs (Special Areas of Conservation, linked to

4429-514: The Environment . Their duties include "the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment, including water, air and soil quality ; renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora and fauna; water; meteorology;" The Environmental Protection Act is the main piece of Canadian environmental legislation that was put into place March 31, 2000. The Act focuses on "respecting pollution prevention and

4532-507: The Indigenous communities. ACF is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organisation focused on advocacy, policy, research and community organising, with a membership of 700,000. Its president, as of 2022 , is Mara Bún. Discussions regarding the need for an Australian conservation organisation originated in the 1960s through HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , a founder of the World Wide Fund for Nature pivotal in establishment of

4635-645: The Kimberley, Cape York and Kakadu. ACF continues to campaign for a nuclear-free future, calling on governments to reduce radioactive risks by stopping uranium mining and export, withdrawing from the global nuclear industry and responsibly managing Australia's radioactive waste. The ACF's founders were drawn from Australia's scientific, public service, business and political decision makers. A 1963 memo from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh inspired Francis Ratcliffe to consult with his CSIRO colleagues, and work with conservationists and community leaders, to establish

4738-740: The Landcare movement is made up of more than 5,400 local groups across the nation. Since 1975, ACF has been supporting a land tenure reform process with the twin aims of delivering land justice to Indigenous traditional owners, and protecting high conservation value lands across the Cape York Peninsula. Since 1995 the Cape York land tenure resolution process has returned more than three million hectares of land to Aboriginal ownership. This includes more than two million hectares of Aboriginal owned and jointly managed national parks and more than

4841-543: The Northern and Central Land Councils. The ACF became increasingly involved in urban issues. ACF Councillor and unionist Jack Mundey was the force behind "green bans", that saw unions withdraw their labour from demolition sites to protect historic urban precincts like The Rocks in Sydney. Pollution, climate change and population growth became topics of debate in the pages of Habitat . The explosive environmental issue of

4944-645: The Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP) is an international organization between Australia, the Cook Islands, FMS, Fiji, France, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Island, Tonga, Tuvalu, US, and Vanuatu. The SPREP was established in order to provide assistance in improving and protecting the environment as well as assure sustainable development for future generations. Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983), also known as

5047-625: The Roundtable in 2006 – which included CEOs from BP Australia, Insurance Australia Group, Origin Energy, Swiss Re, Visy Industries, Westpac and ACF. The Roundtable commissioned CSIRO and the Allen Consulting Group to determine climate impacts on Australia and model the economic effects of a 60% reduction in emissions by 2050 and supported the call to act, and act early, on the important issue of climate change. The Report highlighted

5150-497: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , "China has been working with great determination in recent years to develop, implement, and enforce a solid environmental law framework. Chinese officials face critical challenges in effectively implementing the laws, clarifying the roles of their national and provincial governments, and strengthening the operation of their legal system." Explosive economic and industrial growth in China has led to significant environmental degradation , and China

5253-1097: The Union should enter it to their national law, during 2 years. The Parliament also approved a nature restoration law which obligate members to restore 20% of degraded ecosystems (including 30% of drained peatland) by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Environmental law is rapidly growing in the Middle East. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working with countries in the Middle East to improve "environmental governance, water pollution and water security, clean fuels and vehicles, public participation, and pollution prevention." The main concerns about environmental issues in Oceania are "illegal releases of air and water pollutants , illegal logging /timber trade, illegal shipment of hazardous wastes , including e-waste and ships slated for destruction, and insufficient institutional structure/lack of enforcement capacity". The Secretariat of

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5356-492: The Whales". Nine years of vigorous public campaigning later, a moratorium was declared on commercial whaling in 1981. In 1974, Australia signed the World Heritage Convention and the ACF proposed World Heritage nominations for areas of great natural and cultural value, beginning with the Great Barrier Reef and Fraser Island . Throughout the 1970s, ACF campaigned against uranium mining . The organisation

5459-683: The ability to enforce environmental laws as well as public compliance to them. Other programs work on developing stronger environmental laws, regulations, and standards. The Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN) is an agreement between 16 Asian countries dedicated to improving cooperation with environmental laws in Asia. These countries include Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Maldives, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Lao PDR. The European Union issues secondary legislation on environmental issues that are valid throughout

5562-627: The agreement. Major examples are the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). International environmental law also includes the opinions of international courts and tribunals. While there are few and they have limited authority, the decisions carry much weight with legal commentators and are quite influential on

5665-470: The annual Public Interest Environmental Law Conference in Eugene, Oregon – typically have this focus, also connecting environmental law with class, race, and other issues. An additional debate is to what extent environmental laws are fair to all regulated parties. For instance, researchers Preston Teeter and Jorgen Sandberg highlight how smaller organizations can often incur disproportionately larger costs as

5768-401: The basis of Australia's national plan to drive a clean energy transition : Culture and conservation economy ACF continues its efforts to promote a cultural and conservation economy for Northern Australia and to create economic opportunities for Indigenous communities through workshops and cultural and knowledge exchanges between government, the tourism industry and Indigenous communities in

5871-670: The city in an attempt to "clean up" but this simply led people to pollute the river. In 19 days, Parliament passed a further Act to build the London sewerage system . London also suffered from terrible air pollution , and this culminated in the " Great Smog " of 1952, which in turn triggered its own legislative response: the Clean Air Act 1956 . The basic regulatory structure was to set limits on emissions for households and businesses (particularly burning of coal ) while an inspectorate would enforce compliance. Chemical safety laws govern

5974-522: The concept of environmental flows into the political arena and launched a major campaign to reverse the decline of Australia's rivers. ACF and other environment groups worked with the Mirrar people to halt the Jabiluka uranium mine at Kakadu. The 1998 blockade gained significant media attention and placed Jabiluka on the national and international agenda. In 2000 ACF's Natural Advantage: A Blueprint for

6077-401: The conservation movement in Australia. The head of the World Wide Fund, Philip Crowe, visited Australia in 1965 to advocate for more meaningful conservation action, recommending federal coordination, tax deductible donations for conservation and a national wildlife survey as three important measures. The Australian Conservation Foundation was established at a meeting of founders in Canberra, with

6180-475: The current generation to fair access to the current generation's entitlement to the Earth's natural resources" – environmental equity considers the present generation under an obligation to account for long-term impacts of activities, and to act to sustain the global environment and resource base for future generations. Pollution control and resource management laws may be assessed against this principle. Defined in

6283-532: The decision stating that the government was using the "drug dealer’s defence". ACF is also a member of the StopAdani Alliance – a grassroots movement of local action groups working to build "the biggest environmental movement in Australia’s history" to stop Adani's mine. In April 2016, ACF published 'We love a sun-powered country', a vision document urging the Australian federal government to commit to

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6386-771: The development of international environmental law. One of the biggest challenges in international decisions is to determine an adequate compensation for environmental damages. The courts include the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the European Court of Justice , European Court of Human Rights and other regional treaty tribunals. Previous research found that economic development level and

6489-486: The duty to warn other states promptly about icons of an environmental nature and environmental damages to which another state or states may be exposed, and Principle 21 of the Stockholm Declaration ('good neighborliness' or sic utere). Given that customary international law is not static but ever evolving and the continued increase of air pollution (carbon dioxide) causing climate changes, has led to discussions on whether basic customary principles of international law, such as

6592-486: The early 1980s was the campaign to protect the Franklin River , one of the last wild rivers in Australia. ACF mobilised supporters and resources behind the campaign that went all the way to the High Court to prevent the damming of the river. A pervasive theme in the 1980s was the fight for Australia's native forests. In 1987, ACF and other environment groups pushed forests into the spotlight. Daintree 's tropical rainforests finally gained World Heritage listing in 1988, despite

6695-409: The environment for its own sake or for human enjoyment are found throughout history. In the common law , the primary protection was found in the law of nuisance , but this only allowed for private actions for damages or injunctions if there was harm to land. Thus, smells emanating from pigsties , strict liability against dumping rubbish, or damage from exploding dams. Private enforcement, however,

6798-412: The environment surrounding nuclear activities. However, it has been subject to numerous reviews examining its shortcomings, the latest taking place in mid-2020. The interim report of this review concluded that the laws created to protect unique species and habitats are ineffective. The Brazilian government created the Ministry of Environment in 1992 in order to develop better strategies for protecting

6901-413: The environment, using natural resources sustainably, and enforcing public environmental policies. The Ministry of Environment has authority over policies involving environment, water resources, preservation, and environmental programs involving the Amazon. The Department of the Environment Act establishes the Department of the Environment in the Canadian government as well as the position Minister of

7004-470: The environment. Despite financial constraints, ACF continued to extend its influence through initiatives such as the Green Jobs Unit, which promoted employment creating environmental solutions; the alliance with the National Farmers Federation , which was renewed in 1996 and again in 2000; and the establishment of the GeneEthics Network to focus on the impact of genetic engineering . ACF broadened its engagement with Indigenous peoples, both in Australia and in

7107-415: The fact that many Australian industries, including two of the nation's largest export earners – agriculture and tourism – may be seriously impacted if action on climate change is delayed. Recommendations put forward by the Roundtable called for Australian Governments to work with business and the community to develop a policy framework that allows industry to respond effectively. In December 2010 ACF released

7210-441: The federal election and ACF was swamped by the media with requests for information to produce environment-related TV programs, newspaper feature articles and radio documentaries. On World Environment Day 1990, ACF and Telecom Australia held a nationwide video conference for young people throughout the country to discuss ways to reduce ozone-depleting substances. Then in 1993 the recession hit and media attention turned away from

7313-412: The first issue of Habitat , the ACF's magazine. Prince Philip, then president of the ACF, wrote that "Habitat will provide essential news on conservation matters to the public at large". The ACF pressed the federal government to lead a campaign for a worldwide ban on whaling and for an end to whaling in Australian waters. Thirty thousand supporters responded to a television advertising campaign to "Save

7416-710: The habitats directive) & SPAs (Special Protected Areas, linked to the bird directive), throughout Europe. EU legislation is ruled in Article 249 Treaty for the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Topics for common EU legislation are: In February 2024, the European Parliament adopted a law making a big, intentionally caused, environmental damage “comparable to ecocide ” a crime that can be punished by up to 10 years in prison. The members of

7519-399: The harmful effects of climate change and how they can work towards grassroots, worldwide solutions. Since its formation, ACF has protected the Great Barrier Reef from oil drilling, limestone mining, overfishing and trawling. In 1969, ACF kickstarted a Royal Commission which led to a ban on oil drilling on the reef. Six years later, after a national campaign by ACF and other community groups,

7622-692: The human right to hold and express opinions and to seek, receive and impart ideas,... a right of access to appropriate, comprehensible and timely information held by governments and industrial concerns on economic and social policies regarding the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment, without imposing undue financial burdens upon the applicants and with adequate protection of privacy and business confidentiality," and "effective judicial and administrative proceedings". These principles are present in environmental impact assessment , laws requiring publication and access to relevant environmental data, and administrative procedure . One of

7725-519: The inalienable rights of ecosystems to exist and flourish, gives people the authority to petition on the behalf of ecosystems, and requires the government to remedy violations of these rights. The rights approach is a break away from traditional environmental regulatory systems, which regard nature as property and legalize and manage degradation of the environment rather than prevent it. The Rights of Nature articles in Ecuador's constitution are part of

7828-543: The incorporation of the Rights of Nature as a basic tenet of their culture and conceptualization of "Buen Vivir." The Environmental Protection Law outlines the responsibilities of the Egyptian government to "preparation of draft legislation and decrees pertinent to environmental management, collection of data both nationally and internationally on the state of the environment, preparation of periodical reports and studies on

7931-614: The international law context as an obligation to protect one's own environment, and to prevent damage to neighboring environments, UNEP considers transboundary responsibility at the international level as a potential limitation on the rights of the sovereign state . Laws that act to limit externalities imposed upon human health and the environment may be assessed against this principle. Identified as essential conditions for "accountable governments,... industrial concerns", and organizations generally, public participation and transparency are presented by UNEP as requiring "effective protection of

8034-525: The jus cogens (peremptory norms) and erga omnes principles could be applicable for enforcing international environmental law. Numerous legally binding international agreements encompass a wide variety of issue-areas, from terrestrial, marine and atmospheric pollution through to wildlife and biodiversity protection. International environmental agreements are generally multilateral (or sometimes bilateral ) treaties (a.k.a. convention, agreement, protocol, etc.). Protocols are subsidiary agreements built from

8137-401: The mainstream and by the end of the 1990s mainstream society had changed the way it viewed the environment. At the close of the millennium, progressive business came to understand environmental responsibility as a competitive advantage and more than sixty percent of Australians listed the environment as one of their major concerns. The 1990s began on a high note. The environment was the focus of

8240-412: The mid-1970s and it was ACF's persistence with its vision and the success of its public awareness campaign that eventually convinced the government to act. In 1989 Peter Garrett , rock star and environmental activist, became President of ACF. Peter brought to the organisation his passion and commitment to a wide range of issues including anti-uranium, indigenous rights and Northern Australia . Throughout

8343-463: The most commonly encountered and controversial principles of environmental law, the Rio Declaration formulated the precautionary principle as follows: In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as

8446-473: The nations' moral value affected environmental regulation compliance. Developed countries like the US, EU, and Australia are urging for better laws targeting the reduction of harmful environmental impacts. It is worth noting that there is a direct correlation between economic development and the distance between law and ethics. Developed countries have a closer relationship between environmental laws and moral values. If

8549-1000: The objective of supporting "conservation policies and schemes that need special encouragement by whatever methods are most appropriate," with funding obtained by public appeal for "material as well as moral support" to its work. Sir Garfield Berwick was elected as the foundation president and governance was by a member-elected council. The Australian Conservation Foundation campaigns on a wide range of environmental issues, including climate change, environmental law , clean energy , nuclear energy, economics, drivers of unsustainability, water management, and Indigenous land rights . Campaigns and programs are selected predominantly for their capacity to contribute to reforms of national significance. This means that ACF tends not to become directly involved in local environmental issues, except where action on these contributes to achieving broader goals, such as highlighting examples of national problems or generating examples of solutions with larger potential. An example

8652-468: The ownership and use of water resources , including surface water and ground water . Regulatory areas may include water conservation , use restrictions, and ownership regimes. Forestry laws govern activities in designated forest lands , most commonly with respect to forest management and timber harvesting . Forestry laws generally adopt management policies for public forest resources, such as multiple use and sustained yield . Forest management

8755-402: The power and persistence of the Mirarr and their many supporters". The Australian Business Roundtable on Climate Change released a report, The Business Case For Early Action, which showed that significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved at an affordable cost to the Australian economy – an important step in getting business and government support. ACF led the development of

8858-619: The protection of the environment and human health in order to contribute to sustainable development." Other principle federal statutes include the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act , and the Species at Risk Act . When provincial and federal legislation are in conflict federal legislation takes precedence, that being said individual provinces can have their own legislation such as Ontario's Environmental Bill of Rights , and Clean Water Act . According to

8961-542: The reef increase from five per cent to one third of its expanse. More recently, ACF has sought to protect the reef through climate litigation , exemplified by their case against Woodside Energy regarding the Scarborough gas project, which aimed to address the potential climate impacts on the reef. ACF and other environment groups worked closely with the Mirarr people to halt the Jabiluka uranium mine at Kakadu and

9064-410: The right to pursue and take or kill certain kinds of fish and wild animal ( game ). Such laws may restrict the days to harvest fish or game, the number of animals caught per person, the species harvested, or the weapons or fishing gear used. Such laws may seek to balance dueling needs for preservation and harvest and to manage both environment and populations of fish and game. Game laws can provide

9167-442: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Conservation Foundation . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Conservation_Foundation&oldid=870075510 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

9270-515: The science is well-settled, it is not unusual to find that corporations intentionally hide or distort the facts, or sow confusion. It is very common for regulated industry to argue against environmental regulation on the basis of cost. Difficulties arise in performing cost–benefit analysis of environmental issues. It is difficult to quantify the value of an environmental value such as a healthy ecosystem, clean air, or species diversity. Many environmentalists' response to pitting economy vs. ecology

9373-549: The state of the environment, formulation of the national plan and its projects, preparation of environmental profiles for new and urban areas, and setting of standards to be used in planning for their development, and preparation of an annual report on the state of the environment to be prepared to the President." In India , Environmental law is governed by the Environment Protection Act, 1986. This act

9476-820: The understanding of environmental law around the world. Defined by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," sustainable development may be considered together with the concepts of "integration" (development cannot be considered in isolation from sustainability) and "interdependence" (social and economic development, and environmental protection, are interdependent). Laws mandating environmental impact assessment and requiring or encouraging development to minimize environmental impacts may be assessed against this principle. The modern concept of sustainable development

9579-624: The understanding that more can be achieved through co-operation. An example is ACF's collaboration with The Wilderness Society and others on the Places You Love campaign and role in the Stop Adani alliance. In August 2007, ACF launched a new campaign – Who on Earth Cares – with Cate Blanchett as its ambassador, aiming to provide online community spaces for people to show they care about climate change in Australia, and who want to see Australia reduce its greenhouse pollution. ACF joined

9682-465: The use of chemicals in human activities, particularly human-made chemicals in modern industrial applications. As contrasted with media-oriented environmental laws (e.g., air or water quality laws), chemical control laws seek to manage the (potential) pollutants themselves. Regulatory efforts include banning specific chemical constituents in consumer products (e.g., Bisphenol A in plastic bottles), and regulating pesticides . Water resources laws govern

9785-421: The vehement opposition of the then Queensland Government. Kakadu's cultural and natural qualities were again under threat from uranium mining during the 1980s. ACF played a lead role in securing Stages 1 and 2 of the Kakadu National Park and establishing an inquiry into the proposed Coronation Hill mine. The late 1980s saw ACF make a major effort to redress Australia's massive land degradation problems. In 1989

9888-546: The world. The rally brought out more than 60,000 people and was the biggest march in the world that weekend. In November 2015, ACF filed a case to challenge the federal government's approval of Adani Mining's Carmichael coal mine ('Carmichael case') under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act ('EPBC Act). The purpose of the case was to highlight Australia's failed environmental laws, Australia's failure to act on climate change and to stop

9991-580: The year 2005. When Canberra backtracked on this commitment in the mid-1990s, ACF spoke out in international forums including the 1995 Berlin Climate Change Conference. In 1995 ACF launched its first website with a view to facilitating more frequent and effective communication with its diverse range of supporters. ACF worked to bring the degraded state of the Murray-Darling Basin to public attention. In 1996 ACF introduced

10094-451: Was "Save the Whales", which ended commercial whaling in Australia, following widespread protest against the huge slaughter. Another was to protect the vulnerable Great Barrier Reef by classifying it as a marine park, from which mining, drilling and trawling were banned. By 2000, ACF initiatives extended across a wide range of agendas, such as climate change , clean energy, rainforest preservation, greenhouse pollution and land tenure reform in

10197-584: Was a principal party at the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry (Fox Inquiry) into mining at Ranger in Kakadu, and pressed for the creation of a major national park to protect both the natural and cultural values of the area. Inspired by its president, Dr Nugget Coombs , economist, environmentalist and Indigenous rights activist, the ACF moved to support Aboriginal land rights, and in 1978, pledged to work collaboratively with

10300-510: Was a topic of discussion at the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference), and the driving force behind the 1983 World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, or Bruntland Commission). In 1992, the first UN Earth Summit resulted in the Rio Declaration , Principle 3 of which reads: "The right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitably meet developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations." Sustainable development has been

10403-454: Was flooded by a hydroelectric dam. A group of ACF members, angered by the organisation's failure to speak without fear or favour in opposition to the flooding of Lake Pedder, worked to bring about internal change. The ACF's approach to conservation campaigning became more strategic, active and independent and throughout the 1970s public awareness of conservation issues increased. In 1973, Gough Whitlam , then Prime Minister of Australia, launched

10506-540: Was inscribed onto the World Heritage List in June 2011. ACF, with traditional owner Jeffrey Lee, worked persistently for over 30 years to have this area recognised and protected from mining. In 1989 ACF joined forces with the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) to launch Landcare – a grassroots movement dedicated to managing environmental issues in local communities across Australia. As of 2017,

10609-649: Was limited and found to be woefully inadequate to deal with major environmental threats , particularly threats to common resources. During the " Great Stink " of 1858, the dumping of sewerage into the River Thames began to smell so ghastly in the summer heat that Parliament had to be evacuated. Ironically, the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers Act 1848 had allowed the Metropolitan Commission for Sewers to close cesspits around

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