The Australian and the Queensland government have a lot of work to do to keep the Great Barrier Reef off the World Heritage ‘In Danger’ list, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said after UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre released its draft decision yesterday.
The World Heritage Committee will consider the draft decision when it meets in Paris in July.
Australia’s progress in addressing the UNESCO-IUCN Reactive Monitoring Mission’s 2022 recommendations to protect the Reef has been patchy, with some issues dealt with well, such as the phasing out of gillnet fishing, while other issues such as stopping clearing of high-value native vegetation in the Reef catchment have not been addressed.
UNESCO has called on Australia to set further ambitious climate targets consistent with limiting temperature increases to 1.5 degrees C, with the Reef having suffered six mass coral bleaching events in the past decade.
Utmost concern
UNESCO’s draft decision expressed its ‘utmost concern’ that the outlook for the Great Barrier Reef is ‘very poor’ and said the Great Barrier Reef could be considered for inclusion on the World Heritage ‘In Danger’ list next year.
The Australian and Queensland governments must report back to UNESCO on progress in protecting the Reef by February next year.
The report accompanying the draft decision has for the first time requested Australia ‘establish effective mechanisms to mitigate negative impacts… during and after extreme weather events.’
AMCS is calling for the Australian Government to treat these events like other natural disasters and deliver an emergency response plan to respond to them as they unfold.
In danger
AMCS Great Barrier Reef campaigner Simon Miller said, ‘New Australian Environment Minister Murray Watt and the Queensland LNP government have their work cut out for them to keep the Great Barrier Reef off the World Heritage “In Danger” list next year, with UNESCO expressing special concern about the long-term health of the Reef.
‘Over the past 10 years the World Heritage Committee has been clear on what Australia needs to do to better protect the Reef and avoid an “In Danger” listing. Last summer the Great Barrier Reef experienced another mass coral bleaching event, the sixth bleaching event in the past decade caused by climate change, the greatest threat to the Reef.
‘UNESCO has again stated it wants the Australian government to aim for deeper greenhouse gas emission cuts to keep average global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C – a critical threshold for the survival of coral reefs – and noted Queensland’s change in renewable energy plans.
‘To achieve this, Australia must cut climate pollution by 90 per cent by 2035 and stop approving new fossil fuel developments.’
Decision due
‘Australian Environment Minister Murray Watt has a decision due on whether to approve the North West Shelf Extension in Western Australia, which would pave the way for the release of billions of tonnes of carbon into the global atmosphere. The approval of the project is inconsistent with the protection of Australia’s World Heritage properties,’ said Mr Miller.
‘The lack of progress in meeting water quality targets remains a concern for UNESCO. Onground action to address water pollution is glacial, while deforestation in Reef catchments, especially along watercourses, continues at an alarming rate.
‘We need to cut water pollution, such as sediment and fertilisers, in Reef waters by stopping tree clearing in Reef catchments, and protecting and restoring wetlands and mangroves, which help trap pollutants. The updated Water Quality Improvement Plan must be ambitious and fully funded to deliver water quality targets.
‘For the first time UNESCO has requested Australia develop plans to mitigate impacts on the Reef during and after extreme weather events. We must treat events such as mass coral bleaching, cyclones and floods with the severity they deserve.
‘We need an emergency response plan that responds to these events in real time, ensuring that key reefs are given the utmost protection to give them the best chance of surviving into the future.’
Emergency response plan
‘We urge Minister Watt to immediately deliver the first steps of an emergency response plan by establishing a ministerial expert panel of scientists to advise him on critical reefs that have natural resilience to marine heatwaves due to their location or are crucial for repopulating reefs in the future,’ said Mr Miller.
‘UNESCO welcomed progress to phase out gillnet fishing and called for the delivery of electronic monitoring on all trawl boats operating within the World Heritage Area. Ongoing coral harvest from the Reef remains a concern and we urge the Australian government to support the industry to transition to aquaculture.
‘It’s clear that Australia has plenty more work to do to protect the Great Barrier Reef in what remains of this critical decade for our Reef and its iconic marine life.’
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