Latest news with #nationalheritage
Washington Post
18 minutes ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Save this American eyesore
Regarding the Aug. 13 Metro article 'Congressman calls decades-old peace vigil a '24/7 eyesore'': People like Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-New Jersey) who concern themselves with the appearance of our nation's capital presumably do so out of respect for what it represents. However, isn't it also in the interest of our common national heritage that we preserve and protect freedom of speech and important historic sites?
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Fixing Australia's broken environmental laws must be the first step in improving productivity
We must reform Australia's broken national environment laws, as they have failed to protect the environment. Projects critical to our future prosperity are bogged down in slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning and approvals processes based on poor information, and mired in administrative complexity. Matters of national environmental significance (MNES), such as world and national heritage areas and the Great Barrier Reef, must be protected and restored. Protecting the environment while facilitating faster project decision-making demands several important changes to the existing commonwealth legal framework. First, we need regional plans, developed cooperatively with state and local governments. Second, we need stronger resourcing of the newly established Environment Information Australia to identify MNES and monitor the goal to stop and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Third, we need national environmental standards to provide a basis for the commonwealth to accredit state decision-making processes, permitting the streamlining of project approvals. And fourth, we need an expert, independent and trusted decision-maker in the form of a national Environment Protection Agency. There is no chance of Australia meeting stated targets for net zero, renewable energy, critical minerals development, housing and transport infrastructure without robust national laws that set clear environmental standards for major projects, along with a strong national regulator respected by all parties and significant improvements in commonwealth and state and territory environmental protection systems. Reformed laws will be critical to enhancing economic resilience and lifting flagging productivity growth, which underpins intergenerational equity and opportunity. Commercial and political vested interests are always tempted to exploit the moments of uncertainty generated by proposed reform. This has been a feature of all previous attempts to achieve reform. For some, the stakes at play in environmental law reform are high. After all, we have whole industries with business models built on the destruction of the natural world. It can be done. But it will take a lot of work over many years to put in place new architecture to protect the environment while also facilitating efficient and transparent project approvals. Reforms of the sort outlined here were recommended by Graeme Samuel's review, published five years ago. The recommendations have enjoyed bipartisan political support. They have also had the support of major business and environmental groups. But when it comes to the details of the legislation, stakeholders have invariably found themselves in deadlock. Generally, developers have favoured the fast-tracking of reforms that reduce complexity and facilitate the accreditation of state approvals systems. Environmental interests have favoured stronger protections. The deadlock must be broken. Reforms will be delivered if there is genuine cooperation and a shared purpose among the commonwealth, states and territories, businesses and environmental groups – to prioritise the interests of future generations. Ken Henry is an economist, policy adviser, former Treasury secretary and chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation
Asharq Al-Awsat
01-07-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Heritage Commission Launches Campaign to Highlight Importance of Archaeological Preservation
The Saudi Heritage Commission held an awareness campaign in Jeddah from June 27 to 30 to educate the community about the importance of national heritage and strengthen its role in preserving the Kingdom's cultural and historical identity. Hosted at Jeddah Park, the campaign engaged diverse visitors through an interactive pavilion showcasing immersive experiences and inspiring stories centered on archaeological heritage. It sought to foster a deep sense of national belonging and reinforce the principles of protecting the Kingdom's archaeological assets. The campaign utilized innovative interactive tools and digital platforms to reach a broad audience, maximizing the impact of its awareness messages. This initiative is part of the commission's ongoing efforts to safeguard archaeological sites and artifacts, while drawing attention to the key challenges facing their preservation.
