Dear Prime Minister,

This letter is a plea from scientists in Australia (and beyond) to help end the global extinction crisis by restoring and protecting at least 30% of Australia’s two Global Biodiversity Hotspots by 2030: the South West Australian Ecoregion and the Forests of Eastern Australia.

These Biodiversity Hotspots are an integral part of the 36 worldwide that take up just 2.5% of the world’s surface but contain more than half of all plant species and 43% of all mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian species. All have suffered the same fate, with land clearing destroying more than 70% of their natural areas.

For more than 65,000 years, Australia’s ecosystems have been cared for by First Nations peoples, but the last 200 years have seen extreme devastation. We have cleared land equivalent to 3 million MCG Cricket Grounds in the previous two decades. Furthermore, we have the fourth-highest extinction rate on the planet, and our Global Biodiversity Hotspots are collapsing as clearing continues and climate change threatens our dwindling biodiversity.

With your leadership, we can turn this around.

At the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in October this year, when you present the target areas to world leaders, showing at least 30% of the land and sea you intend to restore and protect, please include at least 30% of our Global Biodiversity Hotspots.

If, as many fear, the map shows protecting mostly minimal-use semi-arid regions and still allows for the clearing of Australia’s Global Biodiversity Hotspots, the extinction crisis will only get worse. You owe it to future generations to restore this land rather than to keep clearing these highly valuable areas.

Connecting and expanding the precious green archipelago of fragmented reserves in these Global Biodiversity Hotspots will increase carbon stores, reduce the impacts of climate change, improve community health and well-being, clean rivers, and aid farmers with landcare, reducing salination and erosion. Healing country will also increase employment and cultural opportunities for First Nations Rangers. 

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our country to be champions at land restoration and conservation rather than extinction. It is in your hands to make this happen.  

Signed,

Professor Kingsley Dixon AO – Curtin University E/Professor Don Bradshaw PhD FAIBiol – University of Western Australia Professor Hans Lambers FAA FRNAAS – University of Western Australia Emeritus Professor John Bailey PhD – Murdoch University Professor Malcolm McCulloch FRS, FAA – The University of Western Australia Dr Pieter Poot PhD – University of Western Australia Dr Jane Chambers PhD – Murdoch University Associate Professor Jatin Kala PhD – Murdoch University Associate Professor belinda robson PhD – Murdoch University Dr Kerryn Hawke PhD – Murdoch University Mr Zac Kayll PhD Candidate – Murdoch University Professor Alan Lymbery PhD – Murdoch University Dr Emma-Leigh Synnott BVSc, MBBS, FRACP, FAFRM – Monash University Dr Holly Emery-Butcher PhD – Murdoch University Professor Treena Burgess PhD – Murdoch University Emeritus Professor Giles Hardy Ph.D. – Murdoch University Professor Fiona Stanley AC, MD, – UWA and Uni Melb Dr Kate Wylie MBBS BHSci FRACGP DCH Grad Cert PESH – Doctors for the Environment Australia Dr Richard Yin MBBS Grad Dip Manip Ther – UWA Dr Carolyn Orr MBChB, BSc, MRCP, PhD, FRACP – University of Western Australia Dr James Anderson MBBS BMed Sci FANZCA – University of Western Australia Mr Kerri Moore B.Sc – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Dr George Crisp MBBS MRCGP – Imperial college London Emeritus Professor Carmen Lawrence PhD, AO – University of Western Australia Dr Keren Witcombe MBBS DA DRANZCOG FRACGP GDNEM GCRRM ASLM – KESH Medical Services Professor Jeff Camkin BSc (Fisheries), Grad. Dip (Nat. Res. Law) – University of Western Australia Professot Peter Newman AO – Curtin University Professor Dora Marinova PhD – Curtin University Dr Tina Parkhurst PhD – The University of Melbourne Mr. Justin Jonson MSc. – Threshold Environmental Pty Ltd Dr Geoff Woodall PhD – Independent Native Plant Agronomist Dr Brad Pettitt PhD – Parliament of Western Australia Dr Kate Leeming OAM – UWA Dr Peter Devereux PhD – Murdoch University Dr Paul Hardisty PhD, FiEngAus, MAICD, – Imperial College London, James Cook University Dr Louise Sparrow MBBS PhD – UWA Dr Geoff Wilson Bvsc AM – UQ Dr Geoff Wilson Bvsc AM – UQ Associate Professor Martin Brueckner PhD – Murdoch University Dr Philippa Cook MBBS, FRACGP – UWA