Protecting Nature, Protecting Life, a new report released June 27, outlines how the federal government is failing to protect biodiversity and proposes a framework for a federal Nature and Biodiversity Act as a legislative solution.
The Greenpeace report concludes with a proposal for this new law from Ecovision’s Stephen Hazell and Josh Ginsberg, Ottawa University Clinic Director at Ecojustice. With a new global framework for nature protection set to be discussed in Montreal in December, Hazell and Ginsberg argue that legislation on nature and biodiversity can ensure that Canada takes concrete action and avoids repeating past delays in delivering on commitments.
The proposed Nature and Biodiversity Act outlines five key principles for an effective and equitable law: includes targets with plans to halt biodiversity loss, addresses access and equity, decolonizes nature, has transparent reporting, and public accountability. These principles help ensure that particular concerns for nature, including protected spaces, connectivity and thriving species, are addressed, in addition to safeguarding the right to a healthy environment, Indigenous sovereign rights, and governmental accountability.
The full report can be accessed here.