Australia argues against Great Barrier Reef’s recommended endangered status | World News
Australia’s environment minister has said her government will lobby against a UN panel’s recommendation that the Great Barrier Reef should be listed as an “in danger” world heritage site.
UNESCO says the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem has been significantly affected by climate change and warming of the oceans.
Regular bleaching events are threatening the reef, including four in the past seven years and the first occurring during the La Nina phenomenon, which typically brings cooler temperatures this year.
Bleaching occurs when the water warms up too much, causing corals to expel the colorful algae that live in their tissues and turn white.
Officials from the United Nations cultural agency and the International Union for Conservation of Nature released a report on Monday warning that without climate action “ambitious, rapid and sustainable” , the world’s largest coral reef will be in danger.
The report recommends moving the Great Barrier Reef to Endangered, after a 10-day mission in March to the reef off Australia’s northeast coast has been added to the World Heritage list. in 1981.
Canberra has been lobbying for years to keep the reef – which contributes A$6.4bn (£3.6bn) to the economy – off the endangered list because it could lead to lost its heritage status, losing its attractiveness to tourists.
Before COVID-19, about two million tourists came here each year, providing jobs for 64,000 people.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the report reflected Australia’s previous Conservative government, which was ousted in the May election after nine years in power.
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She said the new centre-left Labor government had addressed some of the concerns in the report, including action on climate change.
“We will make it clear to UNESCO that it is not necessary to separate the Great Barrier Reef in this way” from the endangered list, Ms Plibersek told reporters.
She added: “The reason that UNESCO in the past has indicated a place at risk is because it wants to see more government investment or stronger government action, and since the change of government, both Those two things happened.”
The new government has enacted legislation pledging Australia to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.
The previous government only pledged to reduce it from 26% to 28% by the end of the decade.
The independent Great Barrier Reef Foundation said it was premature to recommend adding the reef to its endangered list.
CEO Anna Marsden said: “The Great Barrier Reef is a wonder, it has its challenges, but it certainly won’t stand on its last legs under any circumstances.