A political clash over native forest logging is looming for the federal government following its commitment to an international treaty to boost protections for nature, with key crossbench senators declaring Australia must now end the union-backed industry. Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek represented Australia at a United Nations environment summit in Montreal, where 196 countries committed to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and water – in line with Australia’s existing policy – to safeguard biodiversity and halt extinctions of wildlife by 2050. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson Young and independent Senator David Pocock both welcomed Australia’s commitment to the deal, but singled out native forest logging as a key environmental threat that must be addressed if Australia is to hold up its end of the global agreement. Logging is a key risk to the survival of endangered species such as koalas, greater gliders and Leadbeater’s possum.