Preventing, declaring and learning from species extinctions: the role of law - presented by Dr Phillipa McCormack

Preventing, declaring and learning from species extinctions: the role of law

Dr Phillipa McCormack

Dr Phillipa McCormack

Associated Cambridge Prisms: Extinction article

P. C. McCormack (2023) Implications of extinction in law: Preventing, declaring and learning from species extinctions. Cambridge Prisms: Extinction
Article of record
Preventing, declaring and learning from species extinctions: the role of law
Dr Phillipa McCormack
Phillipa McCormack
University of Adelaide and Centre for Marine Socioecology

Biodiversity laws around the world differ, but, at their core, these laws promote the fundamental objective of preventing environmental decline and species extinctions. A variety of legal mechanisms have been implemented in domestic laws around the world to achieve this objective, including protection for habitat, environmental impact assessments and threatened species recovery plans. In many jurisdictions, if these mechanisms fail to protect a species, it may be legally declared extinct, or added to a formal list of those that have been lost. This paper examines the purpose and implications of extinction, from a legal perspective. A legal power to recognise a species as extinct has the potential to foster ambition, transparency and rigorous measurement of progress against conservation goals. However, in practice, efforts to prevent extinction are applied selectively. Without an obligation to learn from extinctions, recognition of species extinctions in law may have perverse effects, or no effect at all. This paper considers how law might play a more productive and positive role in preventing extinctions and improving conservation outcomes.

References
  • 1.
    P. C. McCormack (2023) Implications of extinction in law: Preventing, declaring and learning from species extinctions. Cambridge Prisms: Extinction
  • 2.
    PC. McCormack (2018) The legislative challenge of facilitating climate change adaptation for biodiversity. Australian Law Journal 92, 546–562
Cambridge Prisms logo
Cite as
P. McCormack (2024, August 15), Preventing, declaring and learning from species extinctions: the role of law
Share
Details
Listed seminar This seminar is open to all
Recorded Available to all
Video length 31:43
Q&A Now closed
Disclaimer The views expressed in this seminar are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of the journal