UNESCO Slams Oz On Efforts To Protect Rapidly Bleaching GBR

[hatrack]

A United Nations agency said yesterday it had "serious concern" about coral bleaching on Australia's Great Barrier Reef and urged the Government to work faster to improve water quality in the region.

Unesco said in a draft report to the World Heritage Committee released in Paris on the state of conservation of World Heritage-listed properties that "climate change remains the most significant overall threat to the future" of the 2300km coral expanse.

"It is recommended the committee express its serious concern at the coral bleaching and mortality that occurred" over the previous two summers, the report said. Unesco was also critical of Australia, saying "progress toward achieving water quality targets has been slow."
The agency recommended that Australia be asked to "accelerate its efforts to reach the quality targets" in its December reef conservation plan.

The Government plans to improve water quality through reduced agricultural runoff and by reducing tree clearance on the Queensland coast. The committee noted a law to regulate land clearing had yet to be passed by the state government.

EDIT

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11869310

[DK504]

1. Wow.

Thanks for jumping on the band wagon there guys. This has been critical for a decade.