Hi everyone

Thank you for adding your voice to the Fix Environment Laws NOW petition. We’re pleased to let you know that we have now shared the petition with the Prime Minister and Minister Watt.

You can read our message to Minister Watt below — our message to the Prime Minister was very similar.

Kind regards, 

Sasha Titchkosky and Suzy Anderson Bessell


LETTER TO MINISTER WATT

Dear Minister Watt,

We are writing to you as you prepare important reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.  Attached is the wording of a petition which you can see on change.org (https://chng.it/fbr7zkYhFm has been signed by more than 1500 Australians - calling on you and the Prime Minister to ensure that climate impacts are a mandatory consideration under the EPBC Act, and that no project is approved if its climate impacts would cause serious harm to the environment.

The recently released National Climate Risk Assessment makes clear that Australia faces escalating risk from heat, drought, fire and flooding - risks that will intensify unless emissions from all sources, including new fossil fuel projects, are rapidly reduced.

While the government’s 2035 climate target is a step in the right direction, the climate consequences of new fossil fuel projects must be a mandatory consideration to prevent Australia undermining both its national climate targets and its credibility in meeting international commitments.

Your reforms to the EPBC Act present a rare and timely opportunity to close this gap. By requiring climate considerations in project approvals, the government can deliver legislation that not only protects biodiversity, but also reflects the realities of the climate crisis and the expectations of the community.

We urge you to take this petition as evidence of broad public support for this change, and to ensure that climate considerations are embedded in the reforms you are now developing.

Yours sincerely,

Sasha Titchkosky and Suzy Anderson Bessell