The Australian government is protesting against Unesco, which wants to state that the Great Barrier Reef is in danger as a result of climate change.
Australian Environment Minister Sussan Ley expressed disappointment and disbelief at a news conference on Tuesday. She will fight against UNESCO’s proposal to add the Great Barrier Reef to the list of endangered World Heritage Sites. The proposal will be considered at a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in China in July. Photo: Lukas Coch / AAP / AP / NTB
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UNESCO’s concern is expressed in a draft of a new report. The Great Barrier Reef should be included in the list of endangered world heritage sites, according to the UN organization.
The reason is global warming. Extreme sea temperatures led to so-called coral bleaching in both 2016 and 2017. Since 1995, the world’s largest coral reef has lost half of its corals.
Researchers have warning that all the world’s tropical coral reefs could be lost due to global warming.
—-An area on the Great Barrier Reef in 2017. Foto: Kyodo / AP / NTB
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Blame it on China
Australian authorities are nevertheless reacting strongly to the fact that Unesco will refer to the Great Barrier Reef as endangered. Environment Minister Sussan Ley claims China is trying to push for a politically motivated change in the assessment of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
Previously, Australia is said to have received assurances from Unesco that this time there would be no recommendation to classify the coral reef as a threatened world heritage site.
Ley says she has spoken to UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay and expressed clear disappointment and disbelief.
Australian authorities point out that they have spent large sums of money on protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Ley claims the Great Barrier Reef is the best-preserved coral reef in the entire world.
Controversy over climate cuts
But it is unclear what effect local protection measures will have when the main threat is global warming. The UNESCO draft report calls on Australia to step up its climate action at “all possible levels”.
While other western countries have promised so-called net zero emissions by 2050, Australia has so far not set such a target. Environmental organizations are strongly critical of the country’s climate efforts.
The Climate Council believes UNESCO’s draft report brings shame on the Australian government.
Australia has large tourist revenues from the Great Barrier Reef, and revenues before the pandemic amounted to more than NOK 35 billion a year.
In the past, Australian authorities have expressed concern about the consequences for the tourism industry if the coral reef is added to the list of endangered World Heritage Sites.
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