Engagement: Australia's weak link in biodiversity protection

Abstract

International and domestic conservation laws aim to address the biodiversity decline that is caused by intertwined environmental and human behaviour factors. In Australia, despite the country being a signatory to relevant conventions and having many biodiversity conservation laws, policy instruments and associated biodiversity strategies are not adequately protecting nature. For Australia to meet its Convention commitments to biodiversity protection a more effective approach to managing human behaviours is needed. Both tangible and intangible resources, including more scientifically sophisticated approaches to managing community engagement, are essential if legal instruments are to be made effective. This article forms part of a growing body of scholarship on the implementation of environmental instruments, and suggests that legal effectiveness will require new academic and policy approaches that take into account the diverse drivers and practical constraints on human behaviour.