The Great Barrier Reef is considered to be one of the greatest natural wonders in the world. It is threatened by climate change and marine pollution. Why doesn’t the World Heritage Committee put it on the Red List?
Fuzhou – Despite the threat of climate change and poor water quality, the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia has escaped classification as a “threatened” world heritage site, at least for the time being.
The responsible committee of the UN Organization for Education, Science, Culture and Communication (Unesco) decided today at its 44th meeting in Fuzhou, China, not to discuss the world’s largest reef again until 2023. Conservationists were shocked and sharply criticized Australia.
Australia wanted to prevent damage to its image
The politically occupied committee nevertheless followed the wish of Australia, which wanted to prevent damage to its image and was able to get the majority of the 21 member countries on its side. Australia should now get more time and submit a new report on the conservation of the Great Barrier Reef by December 2022. In the discussion, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) emphasized that the reef already meets “all criteria” for an entry as “endangered”.
The World Heritage Committee also refers in the decision to a report from Australia from 2019, according to which the prospects have worsened from “bad” to very bad “. “Accelerated action at all possible levels is necessary.” Reference was made to the efforts in the fight against climate change after the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees if possible. The water quality also needs to be improved in order to create opportunities for the reef to recuperate.
The deterioration is “more far-reaching” than expected
“Climate change remains the greatest threat,” the committee quoted from the report. Other threats are coastal development, surface runoff on land and human use. The unique universal value of the natural site remains intact, but has “deteriorated”, it was noted. An expert from the World Heritage Center (WHC) emphasized in the deliberations that the deterioration was “faster and more far-reaching” than previously thought.
The unique reef off the east coast of Australia extends over more than 340,000 square kilometers. It is considered one of the most breathtaking natural wonders on earth, but is on the verge of collapse: Three devastating coral bleaching within the past five years as well as industrialization in the coastal regions have hit it hard.
In order to prevent it from being put on the Red List of Endangered World Heritage Sites, the Australian government had invited more than a dozen ambassadors to go on a snorkeling trip to the reef in the run-up to the conference. Nine of the 15 diplomats were reportedly from countries that have voting rights on the committee. The request for postponement was submitted by Mali, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Russia and the small Caribbean state of St. Kitts and Nevis, among others.
Greenpeace sharply criticizes Australia
The environmental organization Greenpeace sharply criticized Australia as a coal country: “The Australian government has once again managed to get away with it with a black eye – that’s shocking,” said marine biologist Sandra Schöttner. “Strong climate and biodiversity protection can no longer wait until 2023.” Anyone who can boast of the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef and want to protect its biodiversity must also reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Unfortunately, Australia is one of the few countries that has not committed itself to net zero emissions by 2050. “And the Great Barrier Reef has been paying the far too high price for it for far too long,” said Schöttner. “This natural wonder and its inhabitants are massively threatened by the climate crisis, but Australia just keeps fueling it.” Dpa
