2016-11-30
The Australian Greens say any plan to save the Great Barrier Reef that ignores global warming is meaningless
“The government’s draft response plan to the “worst ever” bleaching event on the Reef on record reportedly says global warming was the cause but doesn’t include any action or new funding to address it,” said Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters.
“This reckless and inadequate inaction follows a tradition set by the federal and Queensland governments whose Reef 2050 plan also ignores global warming’s impact and under-funds water quality measures to the tune of eight billion dollars.
“The Government’s lack of action will once again tempt UNESCO to put the Reef on the World Heritage In Danger list – to avoid being put on that international list of shame, the Reef and our tourism industry need real, funded action to better protect the Reef.
“Two-thirds of corals are dead in the north of the Reef, almost a quarter of the Reef’s corals in total are dead.
“This is not a bizarre UN conspiracy, it isn’t part of a Greens agenda, it is simple scientific fact.
“Rather than flirting with climate-change-is-a-hoax theories—which, sadly, many on the coalition backbench are doing with support from One Nation—I urge the government to listen to the community and the science.
“Australians are deeply concerned about the future of our Reef, which provides 70,000 jobs and is part of our national identity.
"To save the Reef both levels of government need a response to global warming that includes scrapping Adani, transitioning away from coal, banning fracking and building clean energy.
“It is time for all political parties to stop living in the fantasy land where global warming doesn’t exist, listen to the scientists and the concerns of the community and take meaningful action to save our Reef,” said Senator Waters.
Media ReleaseEnvironment and Biodiversity