A collection of environmental groups is calling on the Tasmanian government to release a plan responding to the recent State of the Environment Report. The report released last month is the first state of the environment report to be released in 15 years, which reveals a deterioration in most environmental indicators. The environmental groups say the government has had more than enough time to respond.
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00:00Tasmania's natural environment is one of the state's most valuable assets, but a major
00:10independent report released more than a month ago gave a scathing critique of the state
00:16government's environmental management.
00:19This shows an environment that is struggling, really struggling.
00:22The report found 16 out of 29 environmental indicators are getting worse, including rising
00:29sea surface temperatures and more species becoming threatened.
00:34Now 20 environment groups have signed an open letter calling on the Tasmanian government
00:39to act.
00:41What is really important is that the government provides Tasmanians with an official response
00:47that acknowledges the damning findings within the report and that within that response they
00:52commit to reversing those declines.
00:54The detailed examination of Tasmania's environment is meant to happen every five years, but this
01:00is the first report to be released in 15 years.
01:05After over a decade-long delay, the government has had plenty of time to consider the impacts
01:10on the environment and now we need to see an urgent response.
01:15The government says it's continuing to consider the state of environment report and its findings
01:20and says it's focused on getting the balance right between jobs and the economy, as well
01:25as protecting the environment.
01:27When we don't look after the iconic places in this island state, we lose one of our most
01:31booming industries, which is the tourism industry.
01:34There are also concerns about gaps in the report, with a question mark over the status
01:39of eight categories due to insufficient data.
01:43And there needs to be an overhaul of those systems, we need to have accurate monitoring
01:48so that the government can respond accordingly to the environmental declines that are occurring.
01:54An escalating challenge to protect the environment.