Environmental planning is what happens when a company or developer takes into account the natural, social, political, and economic environment of an area before beginning a development or construction project. When an individual or a company engages in environmental planning, that individual or company is trying to maintain the existing social, environmental, political, or economic balances within the area or community. In Australia, the Environmental Planning Act was enacted to give companies and individuals in Australia a framework to make decisions that affect the natural environment.
There are many different kinds of sites that are protected by the Environmental Planning Act. Australia has decided that certain places and things are fundamentally important to Australia on a national and international level, and that there needed to be legal frameworks in place to protect these things. Among the things protected by Australia’s Environmental Planning Act are World Heritage Sites, Natural Heritage places, wetlands that are certified as protected under the Ramsar agreement, habitats that are home to protected, threatened, or endangered species, habitats that are home to national or international migratory animal agreements, the Commonwealth marine environment, and places home to nuclear actions, like uranium mining.
The reason why Australia needs to protect these different areas is clear: without protections, development and human activities could severely impact some of the natural habitats of species that are in danger of extinction. Legal protections, such as fines and even jail time, are put in place to help deter individuals from harming Australia’s wildlife.
The Environmental Protection Act in Australia covers a wide range of different types of flora, fauna, and activities that are protected from interference by individuals, companies, or corporations. If the Act is broken, the individual or company that interfered with the Act could face heavy legal penalties. In Australia, this law is enforced on both a state and national level, meaning that depending on the action that an individual takes, he or she could be fined twice under the Australian law.
Environmental protection is extremely important in Australia today. Because it is an island, Australia is home to some species and creatures that are unique to its shores. These creatures and plants must be protected, because once they die out, they will be gone forever. Protecting Australia’s wildlife can be a difficult job at times, but many different laws, like the Environmental Protection Act, have been enacted to ensure that Australia’s wildlife is protected for years to come.
