Australia steps up to protect Barrier Reef
AUSTRALIA pledged half a billion dollars to restore and protect the Great Barrier Reef yesterday in what it said would be a game-changer for the embattled natural wonder – but conservationists are not convinced.
The World Heritage-listed site, which attracts millions of tourists, is reeling from bouts of coral bleaching due to warming sea temperatures linked to climate change.
It is also under threat from the coral-eating crown-ofthorns starfish, which has proliferated due to pollution and agricultural runoff.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said more than $A500-million (R4.8-billion) would go towards improving water quality, tackling predators, and expanding the reef’s restoration efforts.
It was the largest single investment yet to protect the reef, secure its viability and the 64 000 jobs that relied on the reef, Turnbull said.
The Great Barrier Reef is a critical national asset, contributing $A6.4-billion (R60billion) a year to the economy.
Canberra has previously been criticised for backing a huge coal project by Indian mining giant Adani near the reef.
With its heavy use of coalfired power and relatively small population, Australia is considered one of the world’s worst per-capita greenhouse gas polluters.
Canberra insists it is taking strong action to address the global threat of climate change, having set an ambitious target to reduce emissions by 26% to 28% from 2005 levels by 2030.
Turnbull said part of the money would be used to mitigate the impact of climate change, but gave no details.
Conservationists said while the funding was an important step, the biggest threat to the reef was global warming – and not enough was being done to combat it by embracing clean energy.
Bill McKibben, founder of global grassroots climate movement 350.org, said: “Science is well aware of what is killing the coral – it’s the excess heat from burning fossil fuels.
“To simultaneously promote the world’s biggest coal mine [Adani] while pretending to care about the world’s largest reef is an acrobatic feat only a cynical politician would attempt.” – AFP