In a significant environmental initiative, Australia is set to protect more ocean territory than any other nation, as announced by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.
This decision comes ahead of the global nature-positive summit beginning in Sydney on Tuesday.
The government will finalize the expansion of the Heard and McDonald Island Marine Park, increasing its size by over 300,000 square kilometers—an area approximately equivalent to Italy.
With this expansion, Australia will now protect 52% of its ocean territory, far surpassing the global target of 30% by 2030, a commitment the country made two years ago.
The Heard and McDonald Islands, located about 4,000 kilometers southwest of Perth, are renowned for their unique ecosystems, which include glaciers and wetlands and are among the least disturbed areas on the planet.
New protections aim to preserve unique ecosystems while addressing concerns from environmental groups.While many environmental groups, including the 27-member alliance, Save Our Marine Life, welcomed the announcement, they expressed concerns over specific areas crucial for wildlife, such as albatrosses and penguins, lacking the recommended sanctuary-level protection.
The Pew Charitable Trusts highlighted that although the expansion would safeguard significant areas from mining and pelagic fisheries, critical underwater habitats remained inadequately protected.
As the government faces scrutiny over its environmental funding—allocating only 0.1% of its spending to nature—conservation experts assert that a tenfold increase is necessary to effectively meet Australia’s conservation targets.
The Biodiversity Council pointed out that current government spending favors activities damaging to the environment, emphasizing the urgent need for financial commitment to biodiversity preservation.
Minister Plibersek expressed pride in Australia’s leadership in ocean protection, stating, “This is not just a huge environmental win for Australia; it’s a huge environmental win for the world.”