WWF-Australia today welcomed an opinion piece by three of Australia’s leading coral scientists who criticize the Reef 2050 plan and call on Australians and the international community to pressure the Australian government to do a better job protecting the Reef.
The article, by scientists Professor Terry Hughes, Jon Day and Jon Brodie, is published in Nature Climate Change and comes on the eve of a crucial UNESCO report on the Reef.
UNESCO is due to release a draft decision next month on whether the Reef should be declared ‘World Heritage in danger’ before a final decision by the Word Heritage Committee at its annual meeting from 28 June to 8 July 2015.
The scientists acknowledge some progress has been made but say it does not go far enough.
Their strategy to restore the Reef includes permanent legislative bans on dumping both capital and maintenance dredge spoil within the World Heritage Area, stronger action on climate change, more power to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and a 50-year plan with adequate funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and agricultural run off.