The UN agency has threatened to put the world’s largest coral system on a list of ‘in danger’ global heritage sites.
The UN's cultural agency UNESCO today welcomed commitments from Australia to protect the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian government has pledged 4.4 billion Australian dollars (€2.75 billion) to safeguard the natural wonder. The fate of the reef has been a recurrent source of tension between UNESCO and Australian authorities in recent years, with the UN agency threatening to put the world’s largest coral system on a list of “in danger” global heritage sites. Behind-the-scenes diplomacy from Australia has averted such a move while fresh commitments from the Labour government of Anthony Albanese, made in a letter seen by AFP, drew praise from the Paris-based organisation today. “UNESCO welcomes Australia’s decision to implement urgent new protection measures to safeguard the Great Barrier Reef recommended by UNESCO,” the agency said in a statement sent to AFP. Australian Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek announced on yesterday that gillnets – vertical nets that can be up to kilometre long – are to be phased out by 2027 in a bid to conserve fish populations and prevent the deaths of turtles and dolphins.
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That's great, but it will be for nought unless they can reverse both ocean acidification and warming.
