Australia’s efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef are “unprecedented” but must be stepped up to avoid its listing as an “in danger” World Heritage site, according to an expert report released on Monday.
According to two experts from UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the degradation of the site continues under the combined effects of global warming and various pollution linked to agriculture and fishing.
According to the experts, “despite unprecedented scientific and management efforts in recent years” made by Australia, “the outstanding universal value of the area is significantly influenced by climate change factors”.
The site’s ability to withstand these impacts is ‘substantially compromised’, particularly – but not exclusively – due to the degradation of water quality. And all the measures and projects to deal with it “lack clear objectives” and “are not fully implemented”.
According to the authors of the report, “while significant efforts have been made to reduce the runoff of nitrates and phosphates […]it is necessary to ensure a greater reduction of these pollutants in the next three years than has been achieved since 2009”.
Australia had avoided, in July 2021, that UNESCO put the Great Barrier Reef on its list of World Heritage Sites in Danger, despite the concern of the scientific community over the degradation of this unique ecosystem.
The World Heritage Committee had decided to postpone such a decision after intense lobbying by Australia. Committee members, including China, Russia and Saudi Arabia, had felt that Canberra should be given more time to take stock of its conservation efforts.
“A constructive dialogue is underway with the current government” of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, UNESCO told AFP. The elections of last May had ousted the conservative coalition of Scott Morrison from power.
“There is a narrow path, but it does exist, to save the Great Barrier. Strong measures taken quickly can produce their effects. This report is a roadmap proposed to the Australian authorities who will have to say what they are doing with it and above all show results, ”noted, for his part, a source familiar with the matter.
A next meeting of the UNESCO committee is scheduled in principle for mid-2023 where the first results of these measures can be examined.