THEN
United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO):
Great
Barrier Reef
Outstanding
Value
The
Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the
north-east coast of Australia. It contains the world’s largest
collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of
fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also holds great scientific
interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong (‘sea cow’)
and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.
UNESCO Great Barrier Reef Mapping January 2012 by clarencegirl on Scribd
NOW
UNESCO, World
Heritage 44 COM draft document,
excerpt:
Item
7B of the Provisional Agenda: State of conservation of properties
inscribed on the World Heritage List…...
90.
Great Barrier Reef (Australia) (N 154)
Year
of inscription on the World Heritage List 1981
Criteria
(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)
Year(s)
of inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger N/A
Previous
Committee Decisions
see page http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/documents/
International
Assistance
Requests
approved: 0
Total
amount approved: USD 0
For
details, see page http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/assistance/
UNESCO Extra-budgetary
Funds N/A
Previous
monitoring missions March 2012: joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN
Reactive Monitoring mission
Factors
affecting the property identified in previous reports
•
Changes
to oceanic waters
•
Ground
water pollution
•
Marine
transport infrastructure (Coastal development, including development
of ports, shipping lane impacts, grounding of ships)
•
Non-renewable
energy facilities (Liquefied Natural Gas facilities)
•
Marine
transport infrastructure (ports)
•
Other
climate change impacts
•
Storms
•
Surface
water pollution
•
Temperature
change
Illustrative
material see page http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/
Current
conservation issues
On
18 December 2018, the State Party submitted a letter regarding the
mid-term review of the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef
2050 Plan) and its results, along with information that a new Reef
2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022 (WQIP) had been
released.
On
18 July 2019, the State Party submitted a position statement on
climate change from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
(GBRMPA).
On
6 August 2019, the World Heritage Centre sent a letter to the State
Party raising concerns about the approval of the Carmichael Coal
Mine, to which the State Party responded on 6 September 2019, noting
that the project’s approval is subject to over 180 regulatory
conditions and that compliance with these conditions will be
monitored.
On
30 August 2019, the State Party submitted the Great Barrier Reef
Outlook Report 2019 (2019 GBR Outlook Report) and the Reef Water
Quality Report Card 2017 and 2018.
On
29 November 2019, the State Party submitted a state of conservation
report, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/documents/,
providing the following information:
•
A
number of factors have negatively affected the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property since 2015, including mass coral
bleaching events in 2016 and 2017;
•
The
2019 GBR Outlook Report concluded that the long-term outlook for the
ecosystem of the property has deteriorated from poor to very poor and
that climate change remains the most serious threat for the property.
Other key threats are land-based run-off, coastal development and
some direct human uses. It further concluded that accelerated action
to mitigate climate change and improve water quality was essential to
turn this outlook around. The report also concluded that the OUV of
the property remained intact; however, components underpinning it
have deteriorated since the inscription. Specifically, it noted a 30%
loss of shallow-water coral cover following the 2016 bleaching event
and the combined footprint of the 2016 and 2017 bleaching event
extending over two thirds of the property. Furthermore, deterioration
of the ecological processes underpinning the OUV of the property “has
been more rapid and widespread than was evident in the period 2009 to
2014”;
•
It
is acknowledged that climate change requires effective global action
under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2015), with the 1,5 °C
target widely recognized as a critical threshold for the property;
•
A
mid-term review of the Reef 2050 Plan was undertaken in 2017, in
light of the aforementioned bleaching events in 2016 and 2017. The
updated Reef 2050 Plan, published in July 2018, recognizes the
impacts of climate change on the property and the importance of
global action for climate change mitigation. The next full review of
the Plan is currently in progress and was due to be completed in
2020, based on the outcomes of the mid-term review and the 2019 GBR
Outlook Report;
•
The
Reef 2050 Plan Insights Report, an independent assessment, which
considered whether the Reef 2050 Plan was effective in achieving its
vision, concluded that the Plan “has provided a very sound
framework for improving the effective management of the Reef’s
values”. An independent assessment of management effectiveness,
prepared to inform the 2019 GBR Outlook Report, noted a number of
improvements resulting from the Reef 2050 Plan;
•
An
assessment of progress towards achieving the targets of the Reef 2050
Plan notes that while some of them are being met, significant
improvements will be required to meet other targets, including those
for biodiversity and water quality;
•
A
USD 430 million WQIP is being implemented. The Reef Water Quality
Report Card 2017 and 2018 concluded that, despite some advancement,
progress towards achieving the 2025 targets has been very slow, with
property-wide results for sediment reduction and dissolved inorganic
nitrogen assessed as “very poor” and results for most of land
management targets as “poor” or “very poor”;
•
New
legislation was approved by the Queensland Government in September
2019 to strengthen the regulatory framework for reducing nutrient and
sediment releases. Changes were also introduced to the Queensland’s
vegetation management laws in 2018 to prevent clearing of remnant
vegetation in reef catchments;
•
Additional
funding commitments were made since the release of the Reef 2050 Plan
Investment Framework in 2016. Total state and federal investment for
the Reef 2050 Plan implementation between 2014-2024 has increased
from an estimated USD 1,43 billion in 2015 to an estimated USD 1,94
billion in 2020;
•
Additional
actions have also been undertaken to build the resilience of the
property, including through the Reef Restoration and Adaptation
Programmes. On 17 April 2020, the State Party submitted additional
preliminary information regarding the coral bleaching events that
took place in spring 2020. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN also
received letters and third-party information about the Reef 2050 Plan
progress and the effects of climate change on the property. On 1
February 2021, the State Party submitted additional information,
providing an update on the state of conservation of the property:
•
The
geographic footprint of the 2020 bleaching event was the largest to
date; however, there was significant variability in the severity of
bleaching;
•
The
Reef Water Quality Report Card 2019 has been released and
demonstrates further progress towards some targets, particularly the
one on the dissolved inorganic nitrogen; State of conservation of
properties WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add, p. 85 Inscribed on the World
Heritage List;
•
The
updated Reef 2050 Plan is expected to be released in 2021, following
an
extensive consultation process;
• Additional
investment in various programmes and projects was announced in 2020.
Analysis
and Conclusions of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN
Since
the inception of the Reef 2050 Plan in 2015, the State Party has
shown strong commitment to its implementation, including through
ensuring unprecedented levels of financial support and the
mobilization of inter-institutional collaboration. These efforts
should be commended. However, despite these efforts, the OUV of the
property has continued to decline. The conclusions of the 2019 GBR
Outlook Report are clear in stating that the long-term outlook for
the ecosystem of the property has further deteriorated from poor to
very poor, and that the deterioration has been more rapid and
widespread than was evident during the period 2009-2014. The property
has also suffered significantly from coral bleaching events in 2016,
2017 and most recently in 2020, as a result of global warming.
In
its Decision 39 COM 7B.7 (2015), the World Heritage Committee decided
to review the state of conservation of the property at its 44th
session, linked to the findings of the anticipated 2019 GBR Outlook
Report. In the five years following this Decision, both the current
condition and the long-term outlook for the property have
deteriorated. Therefore, there is no possible doubt that the property
is facing ascertained danger, according to Paragraph 180 a) of the
Operational Guidelines.
In
its Decision 41 COM 7B.24 (2017), the World Heritage Committee
encouraged the State Party to accelerate efforts toward meeting the
intermediate and long-term targets of the Reef 2050 Plan, in
particular those related to water quality. As confirmed in the State
Party’s report and previous assessments, improving water quality is
central to turning around the further deterioration of the property.
The results of the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Reef Water Quality Report
Cards, however, confirm that despite some commendable achievements,
particularly on the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (as demonstrated by
the 2019 Report Card), and although the Reef 2050 Plan has provided a
coherent framework to improve the management of the property,
progress towards achieving the targets has been very slow in many key
areas.
It
can be concluded that, despite many positive achievements by the
State Party, progress has been insufficient in meeting key targets of
the Reef 2050 Plan. The Plan requires stronger and clearer
commitments, in particular towards urgently countering the effects of
climate change, but also towards accelerating water quality
improvement and land management measures. The widespread effects of
the consecutive coral bleaching events further add to the significant
concerns regarding the future of the property. While the mid-term
review of the Reef 2050 Plan has already outlined some considerations
concerning climate change, it is crucial that its final form fully
incorporate the conclusions of the 2019 GBR Outlook report, provide
clear commitments to address threats from climate change, in
conformity with the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, and allow to
meet water quality targets faster. It is further essential that the
final plan incorporate the necessary measures to fully implement the
Plan’s overall mission to secure the sustainable conservation of
the property for future generations.
Based
on the above, and noting, in particular, that both the current
condition and the long-term outlook of the property have
deteriorated, the World Heritage Centre and IUCN consider that the
property is facing ascertained danger according to Paragraph 180 a)
of the Operational Guidelines and hence recommend that the Committee
inscribe the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger. It is
further recommended that the Committee request the State Party to
invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission
to collaboratively develop a set of corrective measures and a Desired
state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List
of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR). It is recommended that the
corrective measures focus on ensuring that the Reef 2050 Plan’s
policy commitments, targets and implementation adequately address the
threat of climate change and water quality and take into account the
fact that the State Party on its own cannot address the threats of
climate change.
It
is further recommended that the Committee call with the utmost
urgency upon all States Parties and the international community to
implement the most ambitious actions to address climate change to
meet their obligations to the World Heritage Convention, as defined
under Article 6 of the Convention and fulfil their responsibility to
protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Draft
Decision: 44 COM 7B.90
The
World Heritage Committee,
1.
Having
examined
Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
2.
Recalling
Decisions 39 COM 7B.7 and 41 COM 7B.24, adopted at its 39th (Bonn,
2015) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions, respectively,
3.
Commends
the State Party for the strong and continued efforts to create
conditions for the implementation of the Reef 2050 Long-term
Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan), including through unprecedented
financial commitments;
4.
Notes
with the utmost concern and regret
the conclusions of the 2019 Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report (2019
GBR Outlook Report) that the long-term outlook for the ecosystem of
the property has further deteriorated from poor to very poor, that
the deterioration of the ecological processes underpinning the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property has been more rapid
and widespread than was previously evident, and that the property has
suffered significantly from mass coral bleaching events in 2016, 2017
and 2020;
5.
Also
notes
with the utmost concern that despite many positive achievements,
progress has been largely insufficient in meeting key targets of the
Reef 2050 Plan, in particular the water quality and land management
targets, as evidenced by the conclusions of the 2017-2018 and 2019
Reef Quality Report Cards ;
6.
Noting
the conclusion of the 2019 GBR Outlook Report that climate change
remains the most serious threat to the property, and recognizing that
action by the international community and all States Parties to the
Convention is urgently required to address threats from climate
change, considers that actions to build resilience of the property
and address other factors remain of utmost importance;
7.
Also
considers
that the property is facing ascertained danger, according to
Paragraph 180 a) of the Operational Guidelines;
8.
Decides
to
inscribe the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger;
9.
Urges
the State Party to ensure that the revised Reef 2050 Plan, expected
to be finalized in 2021, fully incorporates the conclusions of the
2019 GBR Outlook Report that accelerated action at all possible
levels is required to address the threat from climate change, in
accordance with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2015), and to
urgently create opportunities for recovery of the property, in
particular with regard to water quality;
10.
Requests
the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to develop a set of corrective measures and a
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from
the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), centred around ensuring
that the revised Reef 2050 Plan addresses the threat posed to the
property by climate change and determines a pathway for accelerated
actions in other areas affecting the conservation of the property;
11.
Also
recalling
Decision 41 COM 7 in which the Committee “reiterate[d] the
importance of States Parties undertaking the most ambitious
implementation of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by “holding State of
conservation of properties WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add, p. 87 Inscribed on
the World Heritage List the increase in the global average
temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and by
pursuing efforts to limit the global average temperature increase to
1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would
significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change”,
strongly invites all States Parties to undertake actions to address
Climate Change under the Paris Agreement consistent with their common
but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities,in
the light of different national circumstances, that are fully
consistent with their obligations within the World Heritage
Convention to protect the OUV of all World Heritage properties;
12.
Further
requests
the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World
Heritage Committee at its 45th session in 2022.
[my
yellow highlighting throughout document text]
Typically the Morrison Government refuses to take responsibility for its feeble response to the climate change and extinction crises playing out in the largest and most biodiverse marine species nursery and feeding ground in Australian waters - including many edible fish species.
The federal government takes this position even though it admitted to a United Nations agency, UNESCO, that under its stewardship the Outstanding Universal Value of the Great Barrier Reef was diminishing and the long-term outlook for the ecosystem of the reef had further deteriorated from poor to very poor.
It has decided that the genuine alarm being expressed in the aforementioned UNESCO draft document has been generated by Chinese Government animus.
In this particular instance the usual political response of 'blame Labor' has been changed to 'blame China'.
The Guardian, 22 June 2021, excerpt:
The government suspects China may have played a role in the latest
recommendation. It chairs the World Heritage Committee and will host
a meeting on 16 July at which the draft recommendation will be
considered.
Ley said climate change was the biggest threat to the
reef but the world heritage committee was “not the forum” to
“make a point” about climate change.
“This decision was flawed
and clearly there was politics behind it, and that has subverted the
proper process. For the World Heritage committee not to foreshadow
this listing is appalling,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
