Analysis of Australian Conservation Foundation
Introduction
Not all organizations or sectors which could influence policy making could belong to the government. Non-government organizations could also play a role in policy making and influence the progress of society through policies and laws. These organizations could also influence the decision making process of the policy makers with regards to the issues of the environment. One of these organizations includes Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). The ACF is a non-government organization which operates on Australia. It is considered as the leading Australian non-government organization which focuses on improving the environment and solving issues and problems associated to ecology (Mann, 2015).
The ACF was established in 1966 in order to take a stand on ecological sustainability and provide public attention to issues associated to the environment. It has been successful in protecting, restoring and promoting the conservation of some natural resources and environment in Australia. The funding of the organization came from the members who paid for their membership, the solicitors who regularly donate to the programs of the organization and the fundraising activities or sales of the campaign merchandise. Many articles cited that the ACF have greatly influence the policy making regarding environmental protection and ecological conservation for the past 45 years (Robertson, 2015).
The objective of this report is to analyze the influence of the ACF on the policy making regarding environmental protection and ecological conservation. It also opts to evaluate its implication as well as how it became an actor in policy making.
During the 1960s, Australia as well as the other parts of the world requires advocacy towards sustainability due to the increasing environmental problems (Australian Conservation Foundation, N.d.). Australia needs a national body which focuses on the conservation of the wildlife within the country. In 1963, the Australian entomologist named Francis Ratcliffe consulted the experts such as wildlife conservationists and leaders of the community regarding the establishment of national body for conservation. He created the idea of establishing a national body for conservation due to the memo created by the Duke of Edinburg. The organization started with 44 delegates in 1964 and $1000 from the Commonwealth government.
When the AFC was established, Sir Garfield Barwick, who was a Chief Justice of the High Court, became the first appointed President. Francis Ratcliffe also became the honorary director of the non-government agency. When they drafted their constitution, the charter members agreed that their organization should focus on the four major areas in Australia which requires national attention and action. These areas include the Mallee, the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests and the wildlife area in Central Australia. During the 1970s, they developed their major campaign programs which they should use for the next 25 years. They changed their goals over decades to shift focus on the modern environmental problems which includes modern global warming implications and effects (Wilkinson, 2015).
Role, Campaign and Program
The campaign and programs of the AFC covers a large range of issues such as the issues associated to the climate change, protection of wildlife areas, sustainable agriculture and other environmental concerns. The AFC also covers protection of the environment and sustainable development in the areas of Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. During the early development of the organization, they successfully opposed activities which could destroy the ecology while supporting activities which helped in the conservation of the wildlife areas. Some of their early achievements include opposing the establishment of the Ellison Reef mining in Queensland, establishing the Tasmania National Park and the declaration of the sanctuary for the Cape Barren Goose in Chappell Island (Warhust, 1994).
How they Influence Policy Making
The AFC does not directly involved in the policy making process of the government as well as the other local environmental issues. However, they select and formulate their programs and their campaigns in order to contribute to reforms which could greatly influence the national concerns regarding environmental problems (Bell-James, 2015). Their actions and activities could result to larger goals such as generating potential solutions as well as highlighting the examples of the national problems which could help policy makers to be informed of these problems. They also helped in the study of the effects of several factors which results to environmental problems through funding research and experiments.
One major example of how the AFC influence the policy making is their campaign named Stand up for Straddie (Broadbent, 1999). In this campaign, they informed the public as well as the government about the possible effects of sand mining in the Stradbroke Island. The organization is aware that their resources is only limited and directly affecting the policy making process could be difficult. However, they comment on local issues and helped in providing more attention to these problems through their campaigns. They also tend to help local organizations which focused on solving environmental problems (Lines, 2006). During their collaboration with the Wilderness Society, they are successful in influencing the policy making process regarding the use of the traditional fossil fuels. In their campaign, they are successful in encouraging the government that the best solution to the increasing problems of climate change is the carbon permit trading scheme.
Bibliography
Australian Conservation Foundation, N.d., Who we are?, [online]. Available at: <https://www.acfonline.org.au/about-us>
Bell-James, J. 2015, From insider lobbying to grassroots campaigns; the Australian Conservation Foundation’s strategy shift is paying off, [online] 15 August 2016. Available at: <http://theconversation.com/from-insider-lobbying-to-grassroots-campaigns-the-australian-conservation-foundations-strategy-shift-is-paying-off-60640>
Broadbent, B. 1999, Inside the Greening : 25 years of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Insite Press, Elwood, Victoria.
Lines, W. 2006, Patriots: defending Australia's natural heritage, St. Lucia, Qld.: University of Queensland Press.
Mann, A. 2015, SA nuclear waste dump: Conservation Foundation questions MCM impartiality in key report, [online]. Available at: <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-26/australian-conservation-foundation-questions-mcm-impartiality/7662840>
Robertson, J. 2015, Conservation group challenges approval of Carmichael coalmine as ‘illegal’. [online]. Available at <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/nov/09/conservation-group-challenges-approval-of-carmichael-coalmine-as-illegal>
Warhust, J. 1994. The Australian conservation foundation: The development of a modern environmental interest group, Environmental Politics 3(1). [online]. Available at: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254231617_The_Australian_conservation_foundation_The_development_of_a_modern_environmental_interest_group>
Wilkinson, P. 2015, The Australian Conservation Foundation Council votes to implicitly support “Big Australia”, [online] 15 August 2016. Available at: <http://www.theindependentaustralian.com.au/node/260>
