- Australia must report to UNESCO in February 2025 on coral mortality from the 2024 mass bleaching, and further progress to better protect Great Barrier Reef
- World Heritage Committee recommends the Australian Govt does more to battle climate change, lifting greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with keeping average global temperature rise to 1.5oC – a critical threshold for coral
- WHC recommends Queensland and federal governments strengthen controls to stop clearing of high-quality vegetation in Reef catchments, especially along watercourse and in controversial Category X lands
- Reef has suffered worst summer on record with cyclones, severe flooding and fifth mass bleaching event in past eight years – the most extreme and widespread
For a third successive year, the Australian and Queensland governments have been put on probation for their management of the Great Barrier Reef, the Australian Marine Conservation Society said after the World Heritage Committee overnight accepted UNESCO’s recommendation that the governments need to report back in February 2025 on coral mortality from this year’s bleaching event and additional progress on their commitments to improving the Reef‘s health.
The World Heritage Committee accepted advisory body UNESCO’s recommendation in holding off listing the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage property “In Danger” this year. UNESCO will wait for more information to inform future decisions, including the coral mortality data from this year’s mass coral bleaching event – the fifth and most devastating bleaching event in eight years.
AMCS Great Barrier Reef Campaign Manager Dr Lissa Schindler, who is attending the World Heritage Committee meeting in New Delhi, said: “The World Heritage Committee has again affirmed that Australia’s management of the Great Barrier Reef be kept under the spotlight, and its advisory body UNESCO will need an update on progress to protect the Reef in just six months’ time to review our global icon for potential listing as ‘In Danger’ in the future.
“Over the past 10 years the World Heritage Committee has been clear on what Australia needs to do to better protect the Reef and avoid an ‘In Danger’ listing. Australia still needs to do more to tackle climate change, protect native vegetation and cut water pollution in Reef waters. Requesting a report back next year highlights UNESCO’s concern on these matters.
“The Great Barrier Reef has just experienced one of the worst coral bleaching events on record – the fifth mass bleaching event in eight years – driven by climate change, the greatest threat to the Reef. The World Heritage Committee has been very clear in its decision that it wants a report back on how much coral died during the 2024 mass bleaching event. We have yet to see much information on coral mortality from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and we urge it to be clear about how it’s collecting the mortality data and how it intends to meet the February 1 deadline.
“The impacts of climate change are worsening, especially for the Reef, yet the Australian Government has not strengthened its commitments to cutting greenhouse gas pollution nor delivered the promised full reform of our national environmental laws, which should deal with climate threats, including preventing fossil fuel projects from going ahead.
“The World Heritage Committee has clearly stated it wants the Australian Government to commit to emissions cuts that keep average global temperature rise to 1.5oC – a critical threshold for the survival of coral reefs. That would mean Australia committing to net-zero emissions by 2035. The OECD’s conservative International Energy Agency has said we cannot start any new fossil fuel projects if we are to keep global warming to 1.5oC, yet the federal government announced this week it’s finalising more permits for offshore gas exploration.
“The World Heritage Committee continues to be concerned about progress in cutting water pollution with good reason. Onground action on reducing water pollution is glacial, while deforestation in Reef catchments, especially along watercourses, is rampant.
“We need to stop tree clearing in Reef catchments to reduce pollution, such as sediment and fertilisers, entering the Reef’s waters, and we need to protect and restore wetlands and mangroves, which help trap pollutants.
“The World Heritage Committee recommends the Queensland and federal governments strengthen controls to stop tree clearing of high-quality vegetation in Reef catchments, especially along watercourse and even on Category X land, where no clearing approvals are necessary. The Albanese Government has an opportunity to enact urgently needed reforms to our national environment law now that can tackle the deforestation crisis.
“The Great Barrier Reef has suffered its worst summer on record, facing cyclones, severe flooding, crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and its fifth mass bleaching event in the last eight years – the most extreme and most widespread we have ever seen.
“Australia must increase its ambition, action and commitments to protect the Great Barrier Reef, or an ‘In Danger’ listing is inevitable.”
