Environment and Society, Current and Future Trends in Conservation and Protection

On 8th November Professional Environmental Women’s Association - QLD held a panel discussion on Environment and Society, Current and Future Trends in Conservation and Protection. The event was kindly hosted by 澳大利亚昆士兰科技大学 Resilience Centre. The event brought together a distinguished panel of experts and a special guest speaker to share their insights on the pressing environmental challenges and the innovative solutions needed to address them.

The distinguished panel included Professor Rowena Maguire Director of QUT Centre for Justice, Liz O'Brien CEO Queensland Trust for Nature, Tanya Pritchard Senior Manager Koala Recovery and Landscape Restoration WWF Australia and Mollie O. a proud Quandamooka woman and First Nations Outreach Solicitor with the Environment Defenders Office. With special guest speaker Suzanne Thompson of the Iningai people of Central West Queensland, Director ICIN and Founder/Managing Director, Yambangku Aboriginal Cultural Heritage & Tourism Development Aboriginal Corporation (YACHATDAC).

The evening opened with a Welcome to Country, setting the tone for the event by emphasizing the importance of respecting and acknowledging Indigenous knowledge. Lucy Reading then introduced our moderator, Dr Elizabeth Williams , who skillfully guided the discussion throughout the evening.

Mollie O. , a proud Quandamooka woman and First Nations Outreach Solicitor with the Environment Defenders Office highlighted the significance of Indigenous knowledge in conservation and the need for truth-telling and treaty to achieve meaningful impact. She stressed the importance of recognizing and respecting First Nations knowledge in environmental protection. The event also featured a special guest speaker, Suzanne Thompson , an Indigenous leader from the Iningai people of Central West Queensland. Thompson shared her insights on caring for Country, which is a responsibility each person holds to draw on the knowledge and customs of ancestors to protect and improve the health of land and water. Suzanne shared a great example of the cleaning of a waterhole, which deepened connection of those involved and healed country with the return of water and return of wildlife to the area. This was reiterated by Rowena Maguire who highlighted that property rights are currently focused on the right to exploit and use our natural resources, and that we need a paradigm shift to focus on a responsibility to care.

The panel emphasised the importance of sharing knowledge and the intricate connections that make a difference in conservation efforts. It was highlighted that the value of indigenous knowledge is often overlooked. Indigenous knowledge comes by spending time with community, building trust and sharing stories, the knowledge doesn’t come packaged up in books or journals. Institutions and individuals need to question their unconscious bias, and reflect on how knowledge can come in a range of forms and still have a meaningful impact and contribution. Rowena Maguire highlighted that this challenge aligns with the challenges women have faced with unconscious bias and how different knowledge and experiences are valued by society.

Liz O'Brien , CEO of Queensland Trust for Nature, discussed the role of technology in conservation. She shared exciting advancements such as using AI for habitat and species identification, and the use of environmental DNA for monitoring water and airborne particles. With the help of technology environmental monitoring can be scaled up and provide us greater baselines and detection of impacts and changes.

Liz O'Brien also discussed the recent paper by Borg et al (2024) on Backing biodiversity: understanding nature conservation behavior and policy support in Australia that highlights the value of community mobilisation and engagement for protecting our natural environment and biodiversity. Building on this, the group discussed the importance of the community having a connection to the environment around them. Tanya Pritchard mentioned a recent study for national tree day by Planet Ark (treeday.planetark.org), which found that 73 % of adults played outdoors as children, compared to only 13 % of their kids now playing outdoors. With the greatest declines in climbing trees and exploring nature. This highlighted the importance for our children and community to have spaces and time to connect with the environment around them. The more we are aware and connected to our environment, the more we will value its protection. This was evidenced by the experiences of our panel and audience who shared stories of a childhood connection to the environment, from climbing trees, spending time planting in a garden, exploring the bush or even just inquisitively looking at the behavior of insects.

Tanya Pritchard discussed a range of programs WWF have in place, working with communities to build that connection and also give groups the opportunity to make a positive impact. This included a program in NSW to build environmental corridors that connected fragmented ecosystems. Over 400,000 trees were planted and as the program grew more and more farmers got involved and volunteered their time and land. Already they are seeing positive outcomes from the program, with koala populations improving in areas. However, it was highlighted that these types of programs need more stable funding and government investment into nature repair, can’t just rely on private industry.

The panel also discussed overcoming the philosophical challenge of putting a value on the environment, but how it has a role to play in today’s society to help protect environmental values. Which expanded into discussion on the role that banking institutions have in the shift towards nature positive commitments and action. This action is strengthened by new sustainability reporting requirements coming into force from January 2025 for Australian companies. Under the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Bill 2024 there are new mandatory sustainability reporting requirements with clear guidelines from the Australian Accounting Standards Board (https://standards.aasb.gov.au/sustainability-reporting-standards).

Liz O'Brien referred to the greenwashing case brought forward by ASIC in Federal Court, which this year ruled that a superannuation company made misleading statements about their sustainable options investments and the company was handed a $11.3 million penalty. The legal and financial cost of greenwashing highlights the importance of having environmental subject matter experts, conservation groups, scientists and researchers, involved in establishing and assessing sustainability outcomes to help ensure the accuracy of accounting for sustainability. The panel discussed how they have seen an increase in engagement for conservation groups from utility providers and banks, to provide early input and review of current baseline conditions so the company knows where it currently stands. While the Nature Positive Market is still emerging, it was highlighted that the Biodiversity Credits system is well established and operates through regulatory oversight at a federal level, a useful building block for the nature positive market.

Rowena Maguire also highlighted the linkage to EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDD) passed earlier this year, which is focused on accountability along global supply chains. Companies will be required to conduct due diligence across their supply chain, with focus on modern slavery and sustainability/ environmental impacts.

Overall, the event highlighted the collaborative efforts needed to address environmental challenges and the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping future conservation strategies. It was a powerful reminder of the collective responsibility we all share in protecting our environment for future generations.

The panel discussion closed with our PEWA Vice President Kylie Gomez Gane presenting our speakers with a Richmond Birdwing Butterfly vine (Pararistolochia praevenosa), from the Wildlife Preservation Society. The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly vine is a key habitat plant for the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly, Australia’s largest subtropical butterfly. A great vine for any garden, to help bring back this threatened species.

A big thank you to our generous sponsor 澳大利亚昆士兰科技大学 Resilience Centre, our amazing panel, dedicated Professional Environmental Women’s Association - QLD committee and wonderful members who made it all happen.