UN declares the Great Barrier Reef ‘in danger,’ but Australia disagrees

A United Nations committee has warned that the Great Barrier Reef’s condition has worsened to the point where it should be classified as a world heritage site 'in danger.' This recommendation sparked an immediate outcry from the Australian government.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee recommended the designation, citing the climate crisis as the primary cause of the reef’s decline. The committee urged Australia to take urgent action to combat climate change-related threats.

The decision will be voted on at the committee’s upcoming meeting in China next month.

“The Great Barrier Reef is the best-managed reef globally, and this draft recommendation was made without conducting an on-site assessment or considering the latest data,” said Ley in a statement.

During a conversation with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Ley stated that she “clearly communicated our intent to challenge this flawed decision, made without proper consultation.”

However, the future survival of the reef has become increasingly uncertain. It has endured three catastrophic mass bleaching events since 2015, triggered by above-average ocean temperatures, which are a result of fossil fuel combustion contributing to global warming.

In October, researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies revealed that the reef had lost 50% of its coral populations over the last 30 years, with climate change being a major factor behind the reef’s degradation.

In 2019, the Australian government's Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report revised the reef's status from 'poor' to 'very poor.'

The UNESCO committee emphasized that Australia must act on the 2019 report’s recommendations, which called for 'accelerated action to mitigate climate change and improve water quality.'

The committee noted that the government's progress on the Reef 2050 Plan, its key reef protection policy, had been inadequate, and it called for stronger, clearer commitments, particularly in addressing the urgent effects of climate change.

Environment Minister Ley acknowledged that climate change is the primary threat to global reefs but argued that it was unfair to target the best-managed reef in the world with an 'in danger' status.

Scientists described the UNESCO proposal as a critical wake-up call.

If current trends continue, global temperatures are projected to rise by over 2 degrees Celsius, a level that scientists warn will be lethal for coral reefs. According to the Climate Council, Australia should reduce its emissions by 75% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2035.

Australia has yet to commit to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, positioning itself as a global outlier. The country’s existing target is to reduce emissions by just 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2030, a goal that has been widely criticized for lacking ambition.

'The Australian government is responsible for one of the world’s most valuable and iconic ecosystems, but its ongoing support for fossil fuels and inadequate climate policies mean it is failing in that duty,' said Climate Council spokesperson and climate scientist Prof. Lesley Hughes in a statement.

'The situation is urgent, and our response must reflect that urgency,' she added.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter emphasized that the reef cannot be saved 'without a rapid reduction in emissions from coal, oil, and gas combustion.'

'Just one week after Prime Minister Scott Morrison faced global criticism for his inadequate climate actions at the G7 summit, the devastating effects of Australia’s failure to cut emissions are becoming clear – and the Great Barrier Reef is bearing the brunt,' said David Ritter in a statement.

This report arrives shortly after Australia swore in a new deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, a known climate change skeptic and leader of the Nationals, a party that represents rural areas reliant on fossil fuel industries. His appointment is expected to complicate efforts for the Morrison government to adopt stronger climate policies, in line with most other major nations.

UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list currently includes 53 sites, both natural and man-made. Notable inclusions include Jerusalem’s Old City in 1982 and the Syrian city of Aleppo, which was added in 2013 following extensive bombings.

The purpose of the endangered list is to prompt action to preserve these threatened sites. As stated on UNESCO’s website, if an endangered site loses the qualities that make it unique, the World Heritage Committee may remove it from both the endangered list and the overall World Heritage List.