Ramp up targets to save reef, UNESCO tells Australia   :(

Tue 25 June 2024
Yahoo News.
A United Nations body has told Australia to ramp up its climate change targets and get serious about land clearing if it wants to save the Great Barrier Reef. 

Australia has been given another reprieve after UNESCO recommended the World Heritage-listed reef be left off the in-danger list for now.

But it's warned Australia must pursue urgent, sustained action on key threats, including more ambitious action on climate change after the reef's fifth mass bleaching event in eight years.


The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, stretching across 344,400sqkm.
"The State Party should be urged to set more ambitious emission reduction targets consistent with limiting global temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels," UNESCO said in a draft decision released early on Tuesday.

"It is clear that the property remains under serious threat, and urgent and sustained action is of utmost priority in order to improve the resilience of the property in a rapidly changing climate."

The draft decision will inform the World Heritage Committee when it meets in July to formally consider the matter of an in-danger listing.

UNESCO also pointed to ongoing water quality problems, saying land clearing in reef catchments remained a major issue, with tougher laws needed.

"High levels of land clearing are incompatible with the objectives set out to reverse poor water quality."

Australia will have to provide another progress report on its management efforts in February next year, and again in February 2026 after which the World Heritage Committee "could consider the inclusion of the property on the list of World Heritage in Danger".


Australia will complete another progress report on its reef management efforts early next year. (HANDOUT/WWF AUSTRALIA)
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the draft decision was a "huge win" for Queensland, jobs and nature.

"I feel enormously relieved because, of course, there's tens of thousands of jobs that rely on the Great Barrier Reef, for tourism in particular," she told Nine's Today program.

"This is also a really strong acknowledgement of the effort and, of course, the money that Australia has put into protecting the Great Barrier Reef."

UNESCO did acknowledge the money being spent on reef resilience and the progress made in some areas, including the phasing out of gillnet fishing.

But the Australian Marine Conservation Society said no one should be relieved, pointing to UNESCO's sobering comments about climate change and other enduring reef threats.

"They are clearly saying to Australia 'your current target is not aligned with 1.5C' and that's what scientists have been saying," reef campaigner Lissa Schindler said.

"Their target is aligned with 2C and that's the end of coral reefs worldwide.

"Expressing relief is surprising."

Dr Schindler also pointed to UNESCO's commentary about land clearing, which remains significant despite some progress to drive down the rate of vegetation loss.

A recent report by the federal and Queensland governments found 47,519 hectares of land was cleared in reef catchments in the four years to 2021, undermining the impact of the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on water quality programs.

The same report also found there has been poor progress on two key water quality threats driven by agriculture: dissolved inorganic nitrogen from fertiliser use and sediment loads.

"It's pretty clear the Great Barrier Reef is under extreme pressure and UNESCO's response echoes that, and the concerns of everyone around the world," Dr Schindler said.

"The reef is in trouble."   :(

Hi Sir Crook,
I think the Great Barrier Reef will slowly grow in a Southern direction to reach cooler waters.

The UN report is utter bollocks. Seized upon by vested interests making money from climate alarmism.  ::)

The facts here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24kGGAVDslE

Belgarion wrote on Jun 25^th, 2024 at 8:42am:

The UN report is utter bollocks. Seized upon by vested interests making money from climate alarmism.  ::) The facts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24kGGAVDslE

Do you think Monk is a climate alarmist?

Nearly 30 years ago, I did a tour with my family of Nth Queensland. We went to Magnetic Island for the day. Part of the tour of that island was seeing the gallery that hosted all kinds of historical items. One picture I saw was of a 1990s photo of the reef in that area. Next to that photos was another photo of the reef taken five years later. The expansion of the reef was considerable.

The GBR might be decaying for now, but even my eco-friendly friend is not making a fuss about the reef being in a lot of trouble. I would say that the reef is going through it's own rebuilding phase like it was 35 years ago. Either that, or people are just trying to scam some more money for tourism.

From JM -


Jovial Monk wrote on Jun 26^th, 2024 at 8:19pm:

Quote: ‘Most of it was dead’: scientists discover one of Great Barrier Reef’s worst coral bleaching events Analysis of high-resolution drone imagery concludes 97% of corals died at a Lizard Island reef between March and June this year Apparently lees thinks one researcher is biased and wrong or something. This researcher not involved here.

So now that the coral is "dead, dead" he tells you; or at least some of it,  ;), it has no chance of a zombie like reappearance. Just like Terry Hughes saying it was "dead, dead". ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

lee wrote on Jun 27^th, 2024 at 2:42pm:

So now that the coral is "dead, dead" he tells you; or at least some of it,  ;), it has no chance of a zombie like reappearance. Just like Terry Hughes saying it was "dead, dead". ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Monk doesn't know - don't read his crap.

GREAT BARRIER REEF DECISION A TRIUMPH OF SPIN OVER SCIENCE   :(
2024-06-25
greens.org.au
A Unesco recommendation not to declare the Great Barrier Reef be placed on a list of World Heritage sites “in danger” is a triumph of lobbying and spin over science.   

The recommendation – to be considered by the World Heritage Committee next month – goes against a 2022 decision by the IUCN and World Heritage Centre scientific committee, to recommend the reef be placed on the “in danger” list.

Quotes attributable to Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:

“The burning of fossil fuels is literally cooking our oceans and degrading marine ecosystems across the globe, and nowhere else has this been more politicised than on the Great Barrier Reef.

“Only two years ago the IUCN and World Heritage Centre scientific committee recommended the Great Barrier Reef be placed on the “in danger” list largely due to devastating climate impacts. Yet the Australian Government lobbied against this recommendation and has continued to rip open new coal and gas mines.

“The Unesco recommendation not to declare the Great Barrier Reef be placed on a list of World Heritage sites “in danger” is a triumph of lobbying and spin over science.

“Successive governments have lobbied hard and splashed cash on the Great Barrier Reef to buy political cover instead of treating the root cause of this magnificent ecosystem’s decline; which is rising emissions from burning fossil fuels.

“The Albanese government has previously claimed it’s ‘on track’ to have national climate targets in line with keeping global heating to 1.5C, but we know this is completely disingenuous.

“No amount of conservation efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef will shield it from the impacts of new coal and gas projects.

“The world will continue to watch the plight of the Great Barrier Reef moving forward, and as a custodian of this great natural wonder the Albanese government should remember this next time it inevitably looks to approve another fossil fuel project.”

whiteknight wrote on Jul 1^st, 2024 at 8:11am:

Quotes attributable to Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:

Who has no science at all. Gullible to the max. He was an economist. ::)

Belgarion wrote on Jun 25^th, 2024 at 8:42am:

The UN report is utter bollocks. Seized upon by vested interests making money from climate alarmism.  ::) The facts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24kGGAVDslE

100% correct .... it's not in danger and it's not dead.

Here's some more egg on the face of Climate Alarmists .... especially those pushing that sea level are rising.

Photo below:

Quote:

Roman tidal baths in Malta - still at sea level after thousands of years! Best ask what your children are being taught.

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