Nature credits, fast fashion tax, Janine Benyus and biomimicry, small EVs and jobs

New carbon credits to find WA biodiversity sanctuary

Carbon Neutral, a carbon offset accreditor, has developed a new Nature Credit scheme to help fund its proposed Perenjori Hills Sanctuary project in Western Australia.

The Sanctuary will protect 1054 hectares of natural bushland, which was declared a critically endangered ecological community home to many native plants and animals. The sanctuary will be in the Yarra Yarra biodiversity corridor, which is Australia’s largest biodiverse reforestation carbon sink.

The organisation says the scheme is targeted towards individuals, government and organisations looking to enhance the nation’s biodiversity and nature-positive future measurably, including regenerating land and protecting endangered species.

Citizen scientists have discovered the rare small marsupials, Wooley’s false antechinus and the long-tailed dunnart, in the proposed sanctuary – and were the only verifiable sightings of both creatures in the region.

Another survey of a small habitat in the reserve includes:

• 217 native flora
• 90 bird species
• 43 frog and reptile species
• 20 native mammal species
• 2 reptiles of conservation significance

“Ultra fast” fashion tax should be a sweeping trend

France became the first country in the world to tax ultra-fast fashion retailers such as Chinese manufacturers Temu and Shein. Both companies sell huge quantities of cheap and quickly made, shipped garments that use high volumes of polyester, a fossil fuel derived fabric consisting mostly of plastic. The French law taxes fast fashion garments €5 ($A9) each, and this will double by 2030.

The Australian Institute is pushing for more to be done after recommending that the Australian government follow the lead of France.

In research, released in May 2024, it said that Australian shoppers are contributing to fast fashion waste more than any other country and have surpassed Americans as the biggest textile consumers, per capita, on the planet. Most items end up in a landfill within 12 months of purchase.

What we’re reading

Janine Benyus, founder of Biomimicry 3.8, credited as the “godmother of biomimicry”, is completely uplifting to watch as she presents to the crowd at a recent Bioneers conference in the US on how humans can become a welcome species through the art of generous design that mimics the way nature works.

Benyus describes why nature, and the ecosystem are always generous and create abundance, where “one organism promotes another organism’s success and thriving”.

“Biodiversity begets biodiversity. It is stunning to watch and to be a part of. So, let’s remember that and then let’s try to do it consciously.”

There were two ways nature was creating abundance for all – through a culture of care and a culture of generosity.

An example was a tree island in the sub-alpine, which Benyus visited when she was stuck without water. It started from “a bird lands on a rock and drops a seed in its faeces,” and the tree then creates shelter for organisms from the harsh conditions of the sub-alpine.

Benyus adds that she has gone into the tree islands, which remain wet and mossy during August and September, “it’s unbelievable because they hold these snow drifts so beautifully”.

“At the base of these, I’ve found enough water to fill my water bottle. There’s no spring, it creates its own culture of care and generosity.”

“A biomimetic city would be functionally indistinguishable from the wildland next door.

She adds that between now and 2050, “we will welcome three billion people into cities, meaning we’re building right now the equivalent of a city for a million people every 5 days.”

“So, we have to get good at this.”

Cities need to provide a full suite of those gifts back to the wildland infrastructure, meaning the buildings and the sidewalks would do their part, too.

We aren’t getting the best EVs because we hate small cars

In a recent contribution to The Driven, Ed Lynch-Bell lamented Australia’s love for big cars during his visit to Japan, arguing that great and efficient EVs were small, compact, and built for Japan, where having space is a premium. Most advanced in the EV field in Australia is the Nissan Leaf, one of the only cars proven to use “vehicle to grid (V2G)” and “vehicle to house (V2H)” technology – allowing owners to use the car as a portable home battery storing energy during the day and selling it back during the night.

But its sibling, Nissan Sakura, likely won’t be available in Australia anytime soon. It’s got V2G, V2H and even “vehicle to load”, meaning it can power your fridge or rice cooker in the case of a disaster (handy for the earthquakes in Japan).

Lynch-Bell is urging the manufacturers to consider offering Australians the choice of small, light, efficient and practical EVs, arguing there is still an appetite for such EVs in Australia.

Jobs:

Emma Lucia has been appointed national sustainability leader and senior principal consultant at ACOR Consultants. Lucia was previously the head of growth at Bridgeford Group. Prior to that, she held a number of roles at Monash University for almost six years, including deputy director of development for STEM for almost two years.

Environmental accreditors, Eco-Markets Australia, has appointed Dr Goslik Schepers as its new chief executive, taking over the role from Maree Adshead.

Schepers comes from a background of medicine and science, and founded the company Integrated Gut Health, and remained a strategic advisor for the company for two years after stepping down as director. He was also a board member of advisory start up Kimaritec, as well was chairperson of Sicario Therapeutics. Schepers started his career as a biotechnology analyst and said he was excited to return to the environmental sector.

Adshead, who stepped down from the role after two years, will continue her other roles as the board chair of the Gladstone Ports Corporation as well as non executive director of logistics provider Orcoda Limited. The organisation says that under Adshead’s leadership, the Reef Credit Scheme expanded to double the number of ways people can get credits and prevented more than 60,000 kilograms of dissolved inorganic nitrogen from reaching the Great Barrier Reef. The organisation also launched Cassowary Credits, the country’s first biodiversity credit market focused on rainforest restoration.