Australia's premier government-funded science agency, CSIRO, is shedding jobs in environmental science — 100 scientists from the climate-sciences division alone face imminent job loss. The perception that environmental research is unprofitable has already rendered it victim to four years of government cuts. Evidently, the promise of significant savings from science-based environmental remediation has yet to resonate with decision-makers.

Other major CSIRO job losses affect research on sustainable management of the nation's terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. James Cook University in Queensland intends to axe 25% of its academic staff in the environmental sciences. Effective research organizations such as Land and Water Australia have been disbanded. And past cuts have already translated into weakened environmental regulation and management.

Australia is vulnerable to climate-change effects and has rapid population growth. It leads the world in recent extinctions of terrestrial mammals, and has vast areas that are in urgent need of restoration after widespread intensive land clearing, livestock overgrazing and mining.

Anti-environment policies and further destruction of Australia's research capability are threatening to destroy its priceless natural heritage.