APEC leaders gathering in Sydney on September 7, National Threatened Species Day, will offer little hope of habitat recovery with their ‘aspirational’ targets on climate change.
“The predicted failure of APEC leaders to make binding commitments on climate change will be more than a lost opportunity to reduce emissions, it will push species like the Mountain Pygmy Possum closer to extinction due to habitat loss,” said Upper House Greens MP Ian Cohen.
“Threatened species are an ecological barometer on political action to conserve species and prevent dangerous climate change.
“The New South Wales barometer - our list of native species, populations and ecological communities listed as ‘threatened’ - continues to shoot up. From 962 in 2005, the list now stands at 1,013.
“Although there are many factors contributing to pressures on NSW’s threatened species, climate change is something that will eventually affect them all according to Dr Lesley Hughes, chairwoman of the NSW Scientific Committee.
“Sadly John Howard is the only Australian threatened species at the APEC summit with any power to turn the tide of ecological extinctions, but he’s showing no passion for the task,” said Mr Cohen.
Further Information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466
No comments:
Post a Comment