Environmentalists tell Australia, it 'needs more efforts to halt biodiversity decline'

There is increasing concern among environmentalists that biodiversity is declining in Australia. Environmentalists have urged the Australian government to do more in order to stem a decline in biodiversity.

Xinhua news agency reports that environmental groups have urged Environment Minister Sussan Ley to make a pledge on halting biodiversity loss at the UN Biodiversity Conference.

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Despite committing to a global goal of conserving at least 30 per cent of land by 2030, Australia hasn't made any specific pledges.

According to Brendan Wintle, director of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia risks becoming a "global pariah" on the issue.

As per his estimates, Australia needs to spend up to two billion ($2 billion) Australian dollars ($1.4 billion) a year to curb biodiversity loss.

"We can afford it, but we're not doing it, and that's on our leadership and our society," Wintle was quoted by Nine Entertainment newspapers in a report.

Over 7 million hectares of threatened species habitat have been cleared in Australia since 2000, mainly for agriculture.

Earlier this year, government officials acknowledged that 13 native Australian species, including 12 mammals, have gone extinct. Counting these species, Australia has now lost 34 mammal species.

In the view of Nat Pelle of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the country has more at stake owing to its rich biodiversity.

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"We should decide as a planet -- and Australia especially -- not to allow threatened species to become extinct," he said.

According to a spokesperson for Ley, the government is working on a biodiversity framework.

(With inputs from agencies)