Current Campaigns Index
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ECNT works on the big environmental
issues in the
Northern Territory – and works at a local, national and international level, as required.
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To view a map of the Northern
Territory's bioregions click
here |
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Major Campaign
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CLIMATE CHANGE
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Global warming
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Global warming, also known as climate
change, is occurring because atmospheric levels of key greenhouse gases (carbon
dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) are rising as a direct result
of human activity. In particular, rapid increases in atmospheric
concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) have occurred in the last
150 years because of an increase in the burning of fossil fuels
such as coal, oil and gas. Land clearing has also made a significant
contribution to the build up of greenhouse gases. For more information on global warming also visit www.cana.net.au or http://www.climatemovement.org.au/
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Global
Warming Overview » COOLmob » Nuclear » Climate
Change Media Releases
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Walk Against Warming |
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For details on this year's event: Walk Against Warming, Darwin, 2007 |
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LAND CLEARING & FRESHWATER
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ECNT is working to prevent
broadscale land clearing and on regional and rural development
issues. Several major agriculture schemes are in the early
stages of development including the proposed Daly and Ord River developments. The long term risk is that the Top End
(and the Kimberley) will repeat the overclearing and irrigation
mistakes of southern Australia, with consequent loss
of biodiversity and soil and water degradation. |
Overview » NT
Legislation » Daly
River » Ord River » Tiwi
Islands » GM cotton » Land clearing Media
Releases |
Save
the Daly
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The Daly River is one of Australia's
premier Barramundi fishing destinations. Each year thousands
of local, interstate and international tourists visit the Daly River - providing
economic growth to the region. Unfortunately, the Daly River
region has been targeted for large-scale irrigation schemes.
If the proposals go ahead forests and woodlands will
be cleared and billions more litres of water will be pumped from
the Daly River every year.
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Overview » Latest
Updates » How You
Can Help » Land clearing
Media Releases
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Tiwi
Island forest destruction
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The Environment Centre
of the NT is very concerned about the 26,000 hectare Great Southern Plantations Ltd (formerly Sylvatech) forestry
project on the Tiwi Islands (Melville Island), north of
Darwin. We are even more concerned about major expansion
plans for this project. GSP Ltd wants
approval from the Territory and Commonwealth Governments
to clear up to 100,000 hectares of native forest on Melville
Island and replace it with an exotic acacia species (acacia
mangium). The acacia plantations will be used for a
new large scale woodchip export industry supplying Japan
and other Asian countries.
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Overview » Endangered
species » Land clearing
Media Releases »
Latest News - November 2006 - What the Scientists Say
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MARINE & COASTAL
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The Northern Territory's
coastal and marine environments contain some of the most scenic,
culturally and ecologically significant areas of the Australian seaboard.
A high proportion of the coast is Indigenous owned and traditional
connections to 'sea country' remain strong. This fragile and complex environment
is facing increasing pressures and urgent conservation challenges.
The marine environment is impacted upon by a range of factors including
commercial and recreational fishing, urban and industrial pollution, aquaculture
and mining. |
Overview » Aquaculture » Darwin
Harbour » Glyde
Point » Marine Parks » Sea Cages
Marine & Coastal
Media Releases
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Darwin
Harbour
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Protecting the internationally significant mangroves and the catchments
of Darwin Harbour is crucial for Darwin's future. Darwin Harbour is a unique tropical estuary
that contains the Northern Territory's largest extent of mangroves, with over 30 species of mangroves also being found.
The Harbour covers approximately 450 square kilometres including
23 square kilometres of inter-tidal mangrove and saltmarsh communities.
Darwin is one of the few cities in the world with such a precious
marine and coastal environment on its doorstep. Industrial, agricultural and urban development are all impacting on the Harbour.
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Overview » Chronology » How
You Can Help » Darwin Habour Ecology
Gas
at Wickham Point » Aquaculture
at Blackmore River
Marine & Coastal
Media Releases
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Glyde
Point & Vernon Islands |
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Situated on Darwin's
doorstep this area of exceptional natural qualities and cultural importance
is valued bylocals, recreational fishers, Traditional
Owners, and tourists. However the NT Government is planning
to destroy much of the Glyde Point/Vernon Islands environment by building a huge new port and industrial estate. No due process has been conducted to gain public endorsement for this plan, which was cooked up a decade ago. |
Glyde
Point » Marine & Coastal
Media Releases |
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MINING
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Includes mining in National Parks,
rehabilitation issues and uranium mining. Mining is
one of the Northern Territory's largest industries. While the
Northern Territory mining industry has been good at locating
and exploiting resources over the last 100 years, the industry
has not been so good at avoiding or minimising environmental, social and
cultural impacts.
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Overview » McArthur
River » National Parks » Rehabilitation » Uranium
Mining
Mining Media
Releases
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Uranium Mining
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Stopping the expansion of uranium
mining in Kakadu and elsewhere is important for the planet. Most of Australia's uranium is
concentrated in the Top End, in the ruggedly beautiful Alligator
Rivers area east of Darwin. Most of the Alligator Rivers Region
falls within Kakadu National Park. The largest single deposit
is Jabiluka which mining company ERA (a subsidiary of Rio Tinto) is still planning to mine.
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Overview » Koongarra » Jabiluka » West
Arnhem Land » Mining
Media Releases
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OTHER CAMPAIGNS
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Toxics and
waste issues
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Click on the links for more information about:
the proposed Nuclear Waste Dump, download reports and access contacts for the No Waste Alliance.
Termidor - read the Environment Centre's concerns about the widespread use of this new termite chemical. |
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Environmental Education
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Raising environmental
awareness in the Northern Territory and providing information
for hundreds of individuals and school students on a broad range
of issues each
year is part of the work of the ECNT. |
Contact the ECNT
for more
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For more information about the principles of ecologically sustainable development
click here |
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Weeds
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The invasion and spread of introduced weeds
is one of the biggest threats to biodiversity and sustainable economic development across Northern
Australia. Most of our invasive weeds
have been introduced from other countries by the cattle industry, horticulturalists, gardeners and aquarium owners.
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The Environment Centre of the NT (ECNT) and the
Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) are very concerned about
major flaws
and contradictions that currently exist in weed legislation,
policy, and management in the Northern Territory.
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We are particularly concerned about the role
played, and decisions made, by government bodies such as the Pastoral Land Board, as regulator
of
pastoral leasehold lands; the Primary Industries section, as promoter of various pastoral,
agricultural and horticultural practices including ‘'pasture
improvement"; and the Landcare Council as the body overseeing
the funding of many weed-related projects in the NT, involving
large sums of government (public) money.
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Read
the letter ECNT and ALEC recently sent to Jim Forwood,
Chairperson of the NT Pastoral Land Board and NT Landcare
Council.
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More on Weeds & Weeds Book » Other Campaigns Media
Releases
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NT Election 2005 |
Click here for ALP environmental policies and ECNT's assessment of the election. |
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Environmental Protection Authority |
Click here for ECNT's briefing paper on what we want from our new EPA |
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Major
Campaign
