Latest news with #habitatprotection
CTV News
12-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Bald eagle nest at risk as northern Ont. community plans waterfront development
Callander residents rally to protect a nesting bald eagle family as the municipality plans waterfront development. A petition with 1,200+ signatures opposes relocating the eagles' tree, fearing habitat loss. Officials say they're exploring alternatives.
The Guardian
27-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Labor must protect environment while rewriting laws ‘written to facilitate development', Larissa Waters says
Greens leader Larissa Waters warns Labor's rewrite of national environmental laws will not be credible if the government uses its planned 18-month timeline to continue to approve new coal and gas projects or allow continued habitat destruction. Labor's proposal to create a federal environment protection agency collapsed in the final months of the last parliament. A deal with the Greens was being negotiated by the then environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, but Anthony Albanese pushed the changes off the agenda, fearing an electoral backlash in Western Australia. The newly appointed minister, Murray Watt, says Labor's 3 May victory gives the government a 'very clear mandate' to pass the so-called nature positive laws, which he says should be finalised and passed by parliament within 18 months. That progress will require support from the Greens, which hold the sole balance of power in the Senate. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email But Waters said Labor needed to do a 'proper job' in redesigning the Howard-era rules and to ensure they were not pushed down the political agenda ahead of the next election. 'They were always written to facilitate development and not to protect the environment. I say that in all honesty,' Waters said. 'What they are now very clearly weak on is meeting the challenges that we're facing. 'They don't have any reference to climate in them. Now that's just ridiculous, to have environmental laws that don't require explicit consideration of the climate.' Waters called for Labor to stop approvals for new mines, describing the post-election extension of Woodside's huge North West Shelf development out to 2070 as 'a massive, dirty gas bomb'. 'They do need a drastic rewrite. With the 18-month delay that the minister has now said, I take two messages out of that. 'Because I'm an optimist … maybe they can now take the time to do a proper job. 'But the other message I take is that this is not a priority for them. And I'm also worried that in that 18-month delay, that so much destruction will just continue. Things will just get ticked off while they're reviewing the laws – how convenient – and it's a smokescreen to just continue on business as usual.' The Queensland senator, who replaced former Greens leader Adam Bandt, made the comments in an interview for Guardian Australia's Australian Politics podcast, released on Friday. The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) has been lobbying the Greens on Labor's plans to make some superannuation tax concessions less generous for account holders with balances above $3m. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, says the government is pressing on with the delayed changes and is expected to negotiate with Greens' treasury spokesperson, Nick McKim. The NFF chief executive, Troy Williams, recently wrote to Waters warning the proposal risks serious unintended consequences for family farming businesses, which often rely on superannuation for intergenerational succession planning. 'We would plead with you to use upcoming negotiations in the Senate to push for sensible changes to this tax to mitigate the unintended consequences for family-owned farms,' Williams said in a letter provided to Guardian Australia. 'This could include grandfathering existing arrangements, excluding agricultural land from valuations, taxing gains on realisation, and of course indexation.' The Greens have promised constructive negotiations and expressed concern retirement savings accounts are being used as vehicles for wealth accumulation. Waters told Guardian Australia the party would consider Labor's final proposal carefully. 'We will support tax changes that make the tax system fairer and I will be having those discussions with Mr Chalmers as the weeks roll on,' she said. 'I think we'll keep those discussions private.'
CTV News
21-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Environmental lawyers tell courtroom Ottawa's protections for piping plovers flawed
A piping plover walks on the sand in Glen Haven, Mich., May 30, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-John Flesher HALIFAX — Environmental groups are arguing in Federal Court that Ottawa's plans for protecting the habitat of the piping plover are vague and inadequate. The endangered, migratory shorebirds build their nests along coastal beaches where they're increasingly at risk from human activities and predators. Lawyers for East Coast Environmental Law and Nature Nova Scotia say the federal approach of protecting specific parts of beaches has unclear language and is weaker than Ottawa's prior conservation strategy. The group says the old strategy held Ottawa to a higher standard of protecting entire beach areas at sites in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. A spokeswoman for the Environment Department says the new approach was developed using information and input from federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments. Cecelia Parsons says the protection strategy meets Canada's obligations under the Species at Risk Act, using refined habitat mapping and 'conservation efforts based on the latest science.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025. The Canadian Press
CBC
21-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Environmental lawyers tell court Ottawa's protections for piping plovers flawed
Environmental groups are arguing in Federal Court that Ottawa's plans for protecting the habitat of the piping plover are vague and inadequate. The endangered migratory shorebirds build their nests along coastal beaches where they're increasingly at risk from human activities and predators. Lawyers for East Coast Environmental Law and Nature Nova Scotia say the federal approach of protecting specific parts of beaches has unclear language and is weaker than Ottawa's prior conservation strategy. The group says the old strategy held Ottawa to a higher standard of protecting entire beach areas at sites in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. A spokesperson for the Environment Department says the new approach was developed using information and input from federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments. Cecelia Parsons says the protection strategy meets Canada's obligations under the Species at Risk Act, using refined habitat mapping and "conservation efforts based on the latest science."
CBC
09-05-2025
- CBC
Southwest Nova Scotia island a newly protected habitat
The Nature Trust of Nova Scotia says it has preserved an island in southwest Nova Scotia. It announced on Friday that Johns Island, just west of Central Woods Harbour, will provide 68 hectares of land to migratory birds. "Protecting the entirety of Johns Island is a perfect example of the kind of conservation success that makes a real and immediate difference to Nova Scotia's beloved birds," the nature trust stated in its news release. It noted Johns Island is "a critical stopover" along one of four main North American 'bird superhighways." The trust noted Johns Island — known locally as St. Johns Island — gives birds food and safe places to rest during migration. Johns Island is also a nesting site for several bird species at risk, the trust noted. It said a common eider colony found there is thought to be the largest in the province. The island is an important foraging site for the endangered roseate terns. It is believed great blue herons nest there. Protection of the island was made possible with support from the federal government, with additional funding from the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust. Although Johns Island is now protected, the trust noted birds in Nova Scotia and worldwide are "still at tremendous risk." "Habitat loss is one of the main driving factors in their decline, making the Nature Trust's conservation work critical to their survival," the trust said.
