The Australian Greens today presented a petition to the Senate of more than 16,000 people opposing a cull of Great White Sharks and backing calls for increased investment in research and non-lethal protections for beach-goers.

"I presented this petition to the Senate today to demonstrate to the Federal and WA Governments that there is strong community opposition to plans to kill threatened Great Whites," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine spokesperson said today.

The Australian Greens said today that the Federal Government needs to maintain protections for the Great White Shark under Commonwealth legislation, as the WA Government moves to target some of the animals under a newly announced shark plan.

The Australian Greens have joined with people in Perth and around the country to stand up for action on climate change.

"Today's rally has sent a clear message that people will not stand by as the Coalition tears up Australia's climate change laws," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine spokesperson said today.

"Tony Abbott wants to repeal Australia's climate change laws despite the fact that our state and our oceans are under profound pressure as a result of climate change.

The Australian Greens said today that the Government's backwards step on climate change poses a serious threat to WA's oceans.

"Tony Abbott's Government has introduced a Bill to repeal the carbon price legislation," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine and fisheries spokesperson said today.

"The Coalition are ignoring the fact that climate change is having an increasing impact on our lives and our environment, including our oceans, putting the future of our marine environment, tourism, commercial fishing, and recreation-based industries at risk.

"WA Premier Colin Barnett has taken a step closer to realising his dream of opening up the Kimberley to industrialisation, after finalising the acquisition of the land at James Price Point." Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

"From the very start of this flawed and drawn out process, the Premier's priorities have been skewed in favour of industrialisation, rather than supporting the WA community and a building a sustainable future for the Kimberley.

The Australian Greens have today welcomed the move by the NZ Government to end shark finning in their waters and called on the Australian Government to show a similar commitment to preventing cruel finning and carcass dumping practises in Australian waters.

"Sharks are under incredible pressure from a range of threats, including climate change and ocean pollution, without also being targeted for their fins," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine and fisheries spokesperson said today.

There's no doubt that beaches and oceans are an integral part of the WA lifestyle.

Be it weekend barbecues, walks with the family, surfing, fishing and camping trips, swimming or boating, we're blessed with the weather and natural beauty that sees many of us spending time on the coast.

But the near pristine beaches and mostly clear waters can make it hard to spot one of the biggest threats facing our marine environment – the impact of climate change.

The Australian Greens said today the WA Government can't be trusted to have the only and final say on environmental assessments in WA.

"The WA Government has been the major driver of industrial development in WA, how can they then be left to have sole responsibility for assessing that development?," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Kimberley spokesperson said today.

"We are calling on the WA Government to be upfront about any plans to sign up to Tony Abbott's flawed one-stop-shop for environmental approvals.

The Australian Greens said today the Abbott Government is taking a double standards approach to marine conservation - on one hand supporting marine conservation internationally but at the same time working to dismantle Australia's world leading marine protection system.

Despite being illegal in Australia, sharks are still being caught and having their fins removed before being dumped into the ocean to slowly die.

Inconsistent laws between the Commonwealth States and Territories are undermining efforts to end shark finning.

Shark finning is driven by high prices, which sees the products worth up to 700 times as much as shark meat.