Getting Greenwashed? Leonardo DiCaprio Slams Australian Government Over Rainforest Decimation
Australian Government Draws Criticism from Leonardo DiCaprio
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Renowned environmental crusader and A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio has taken a stab at the Australian government, lambasting their prioritization of big mining over green preservation, thus perpetuating the obliteration of rainforests in the region.
Snagging the spotlight at 50, this charismatic actor bolsters the battle of Aussie nature protectors against their government'sarrangement with mining conglomerates, enabling them to continue razing native woodlands in Western Australia—contrary to a planned 2024 embargo on such activities. Setting the record straight on Instagram, DiCaprio voiced his disillusionment, asserting that "the gravely regrettable practice of clearing native forests in Western Australia for mining ventures is still validated, due to a separate set of government guidelines."
Hot-button issue arises from the Australian government's green light to South32, a mining company, to proceed with expanding its bauxite mining operations in the vast Jarrah Forests eco-region, nestled deep in the continent's southwest. Environmentalists, stirred by this move, staged protests in February, as reported by Australian media powerhouse ABC News.
As per DiCaprio, the project is poised to nix thousands of hectares of ancient forest—a veritable refuge for over 8,000 distinct species, many of which are vivified nowhere else on the planet. The Wilderness Society, a conservation-focused organization, claims that the project jeopardizes the abode of the Black Cockatoo and multitudes of other species.
No stranger to tackling environmental conservation quandaries, DiCaprio has utilized his considerable social media following of 60 million-plus followers to ignite awareness. Founding the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, he has championed causes combatting global warming, as well as thwarted Canadian oil and gas company ReconAfrica and a proposed luxury development on the pristine Aldabra Islands, one of the last unexplored ecosystems globally.
Source: ntv.de, nan/dpa
- Australia
- Rainforest
- Environmental Destruction
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Government Corruption
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Additional Insights:
- Approximately 409,000 hectares of forested areas have been cleared in Western Australia between 2001 and 2018, as per data from the Western Australian Forest Products Commission (WAFPC).
- The project approved by the Australian government involves the destruction of a portion of the Jarrah woodlands, which stores an estimated 1.8 billion tons of carbon.
- The employment policy of the Australian government, allegedly prioritizing big mining over green preservation, is under fire from Leonardo DiCaprio, who accuses it of perpetuating the obliteration of rainforests in Western Australia, despite a planned 2024 embargo on such activities.
- The Australian government's decision to green light South32's expansion of bauxite mining operations in the Jarrah Forests eco-region has sparked protest from conservationists, including Leonardo DiCaprio, who fears the project will destroy thousands of hectares of ancient forest and jeopardize the habitats of numerous unique species.
- In a series of Instagram posts, Leonardo DiCaprio has expressed disappointment that the alleged employment policy of the Australian government allows for native forest clearing in Western Australia for mining ventures, despite government claims to the contrary.
