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The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government November 2016 Bleached coral at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, March 2016. © The Ocean Agency Cover image: ©Greenpeace/Amendolia The deadline On or before 1 December, the Australian government must submit a report to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee detailing its handling of the health of the Great Barrier Reef in the last 18 months – a period during which it suffered its worst ever coral bleaching and the death of 22% of its coral. The Australian government claimed that it has made The backstory “good progress” during this time. In 2012, UNESCO warned Australia the Great Barrier Reef was under imminent threat and could be listed as “in danger”. Fears about the reef were sparked by its deteriorating condition and the dangers posed by further coal expansion projects in the area. An “in danger” listing allows the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to allocate assistance from the World Heritage Fund. The act of listing a site as “in danger” can be seen as an embarrassment for the government responsible. In July 2015, after intense lobbying from the Australian government, UNESCO placed the Great Barrier Reef on its watch list, declining to list it as “in danger”. The Australian government committed to regular updates on its handling of the reef’s health over the next five years.Before 1 December, the Australian government must report back with its first submission to UNESCO about its handling of the Great Barrier Reef’s health. In the time that has elapsed between July 2015 and now, almost a quarter (22%) of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral has died after the most severe coral bleaching event in history. The bleaching was caused by higher water temperatures caused by climate change and the El Nino weather pattern.1 Australia’s carbon emissions have increased during that time and the Australian government has committed to and approved a number of projects that are detrimental to the Great Barrier Reef’s health. 1 Media Briefing The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government Media Briefing 2 What has Australia done for the Great Barrier Reef during this period? 40-60% from 2000 levels 26-28% from 2005 levels 93% of reefs on the Great Barrier Reef found to be affected by bleaching 21 March Coral bleaching hit the Great Barrier Reef Aerial survey conducted by the National Coral Bleaching Task Force found widespread bleaching across the length of the 2,300km Great Barrier Reef.14 The bleaching event is the worst in the reef’s history.15 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority raised the threat level in response to “severe regional bleaching” in the northern part of the Great Barrier Reef.11 A'S ALI T R T AUS RGES E LA L MIN D A CO ROVE APP 2015 Almost a quarter of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef was found to be dead as a result of the year’s bleaching event, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.17 The announcement focused efforts on water quality, crown-of-thorns starfish and clean energy in the Great Barrier Reef area. Critics attacked the announcement as again failing to take seriously climate change and fossil fuels, the major threats to the reef. The money was also found to have been diverted from a fund that would otherwise have solely funded clean energy projects in Australia.18 9 October Proposed largest coal mine granted special status by Queensland state government 5 October Global threshold for Paris climate agreement reached The Paris climate agreement threshold for entry into force was met after the European Union ratified the agreement. The global agreement’s climate targets are entirely incompatible with opening new fossil fuel projects.21 2016 1 July 12 December 23 December 3 April 6 April UNESCO placed the Great Barrier Reef on its ‘watch list’ Paris climate agreement reached Australian government approved large coal port dredging in the Great Barrier Reef Australia approved mining leases for Adani’s Carmichael coal mine Australian government announced hundreds of climate science job cuts 3 Media Briefing The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government Australia is one of 196 parties to adopt the historic Paris climate agreement at the COP21. The agreement sets 1.5C global temperature warming as a target limit for governments. The agreement is heralded as the end of the fossil fuel era.7 The expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal in Queensland would involve dredging 1.1 million cubic metres of sea floor in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. It would allow more coal to be exported from Australia and shipped through the Great Barrier Reef.8 Source: Empire State Building fact in graphic above9 24 December Government announced an increase in Australia’s carbon emissions Australian emissions increased by nearly 1% in 2015 according to a federal government report. Australia emitted 549.3 mega-tonnes of carbon in 2014-15, an increase of 0.8% on the year previous. This figure jumped to 1.3% when land use and deforestation were taken into account. The government quietly released the figures on Christmas Eve.10 Queensland state government approves three mining leases for Australia’s largest coal mine. The mine would export through a new port on the coast and ship coal directly through the Great Barrier Reef.12 Up to 350 jobs at Australia’s government science organisation CSIRO were cut, with the majority falling in the climate science department.13 Pressure from the Australian government’s environment department forced the removal of all mentions of Australia from a UNESCO report on climate change and its impact on world heritagelisted sites.16 Great Barrier Reef ©Shutterstock.com ©Shutterstock.com RO CSI UTS C JOB ©Shutterstock.com ©Shutterstock.com ©Greenpeace ©Dreamstime.com 2015 Emissions ING MIN SES LEA OVED R APP Mentions of the Great Barrier Reef were removed from a UNESCO climate change report after intervention from the Australian government ©The Ocean Agency 27 May 1.1m3 Abbot Pt dredge spoil After lobbying by the Australian government, the UN’s World Heritage Committee declined to list the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger”, but announced it would continue to monitor the reef over the next five years and that Australia must show significant progress in its conservation plan by the end of 2016.3 AL TIC S I R C ATU ST NTED GRA DEADLINE ©Shutterstock.com 1.04m3 Days after the threshold for entry into force of the Paris climate agreement was met, the Carmichael coal mine was granted “critical” status by the Queensland state government to speed up the approval process.22 ©Dreamstime.com Emission reduction target: 19 April ©Greenpeace/Jefferson The targets were criticised as being too low to be compatible with the global ambition to limit the global temperature rise to 2C. The government’s own climate change authority recommended a 40-60% target from Australia’s emissions in the year 2000.4 The federal government approved an application to open Australia’s largest ever coal mine. The Carmichael coal mine would be larger than many capital cities, and responsible for an additional 79m tonnes of CO2 emissions per year (more than New York’s annual emissions5). An earlier approval was previously overruled by a federal court over the government’s failure to take into account the mine’s impact on two vulnerable local species.6 ©Shutterstock.com 12 August Government announced emission reduction target of 26-28% from 2005 emissions 3 June Government scientists announced 22% of Great Barrier Reef coral dead from bleaching ©The Ocean Agency Under pressure from UNESCO, the government announced a framework for protecting and managing the reef until 2050. The proposals included a partial ban on dumping dredge spoil from coal port developments in the Great Barrier Reef, $100m to improve water quality, and reductions in pesticide and sediment pollution – but little action to curb the impacts of climate change.2 13 June Prime minister announced $1bn of loans to protect Great Barrier Reef ©The Ocean Agency Australian government announced Reef 2050 long-term sustainability plan 16 October Australian government approved largest coal mine in Australian history ©The Ocean Agency 20 March 18 August 29 September 1 December Land clearing legislation to protect the reef failed to pass Government claimed ‘good progress’ in protecting the reef during previous year Deadline for Australia to report on progress to protect the reef to UNESCO The first annual update on the Reef 2050 plan saw the Australian government claim it was making “good progress” in protecting the Great Barrier Reef over the previous year, despite the death of 22% of its coral during that time. Climate change was mentioned just four times in the 36-page document.20 Australia must report on its progress on conserving the Great Barrier Reef to the UN. A bill to pass laws to prevent land clearing – a source of both carbon emissions and runoff pollution to the reef – failed to pass in Queensland’s state parliament. The legislation was a key part of Australia’s Reef 2050 plan.19 The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government Media Briefing 5 © The Ocean Agency © Dreamstime.com Bleached coral at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, March 2016. Sydney Carmichael mine size Map comparing size of Carmichael mine and Sydney24 The Reef 2050 plan Coral bleaching The Australian federal government released the Reef 2050 plan in March 2015 as part of its response to UNESCO’s threat to categorise the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger”. Much of coral’s colour comes from marine algae known as zooxanthellae, which symbiotically inhabit the polyps and provide much of the nutrition that corals rely on to thrive. When surface ocean temperature increases – a consequence of climate change – the coral polyps react to the changing conditions by expelling the zooxanthellae, which in turn leads to bleaching. In severe and protracted bleaching events, the coral will die as a consequence. Despite conceding that climate change is the “biggest long-term threat” to the reef’s health, the Reef 2050 plan offered little action to curb the impacts of climate change. The report’s main proposals include a ban on dumping dredge from new coal port developments in the Great Barrier Reef marine park, $100m to improve water quality, and reductions in pesticide and sediment pollution. In October 2016, the chief of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority admitted that climate change should have featured more heavily in the Reef 2050 plan.23 The Carmichael coal mine 7 Media Briefing The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government The Paris climate agreement saw governments all over the world, including Australia, agree to aim to limit global temperature increases to within 1.5C/2C. However, if nations were to mine and burn all the world’s currently operating coal, gas, and oil field reserves, the resultant carbon emissions would break through the 2C upper limit.25 Opening up even more coal, gas and oil reserves is simply incompatible with the Paris climate agreement that Australia and the rest of the world has signed. The Carmichael coal mine is the largest coal mine ever proposed in Australia. It is planned by mining company Adani and will be located in the Galilee Basin in Queensland. The scale of the proposed mine dwarfs many of the world’s capital cities. At full production, the mine will produce 60 million tonnes of coal per year and its annual CO2 footprint will be bigger than the cities of New York and Tokyo. It has been plagued by funding withdrawals and subject to legal challenges, but has received unprecedented support from Australian state and federal governments. London Media Briefing The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government 6 Why ban new coal mines? Australia’s coal exports (coal that is mined in Australia and then sold abroad) are responsible for almost double the carbon emissions (1bn tonnes CO2) of Australia’s domestic emissions (560m tonnes CO2)26. Australia’s coal exports are by far the nation’s largest contribution to climate change and global warming – and there are more than 60 major coal projects in the pipeline. As coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel, a permanent ban on new coal mines that would keep more Australian coal in the ground is the first and most logical step towards meeting Australia’s global commitment to averting the worst impacts of climate change. Tokyo New York The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government Media Briefing 8 Chapter Manta Rays swim in the Great Barrier Reef. © Dreamstime.com © Greenpeace/Powell Hay Point Coal Terminal, Queensland is one of the largest coal export terminals in Australia and services coal mined from the Bowen Basin. Additional facts Highest per capita carbon emissions of developed nations 27 Coal is the largest source of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, making it the main driver of climate change29 Australia is the largest exporter of coal in the world28 Australia's exported CO2 emissions 1bn tonnes Australia's domestic CO2 emissions 560m tonnes 9 Media Briefing The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government Australia’s exported CO2 emissions from coal are almost double those of the country’s entire domestic emissions – but are not included in the government’s calculations of carbon emissions.30 Largest living structure on the planet 1981 The Great Barrier Reef is more than 2,300km long. It is roughly as large as Japan, Italy or Germany.31 32 2 C? o 253% in Australia's CO2 exports since 199034 The year the Great Barrier Reef was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage33 Climate change is the largest threat to the Great Barrier Reef The potential carbon emissions from the world’s existing oil, gas and coal fields would already exceed the Paris climate agreement upper target of a 2C temperature increase limit, making any new fossil fuel projects entirely incompatible with global climate targets.35 CO2 Tokyo CO2 New York CO2 Carmichael The proposed Carmichael coal mine the Australian government approved would be responsible for more CO2 per year than cities such as New York and Tokyo.36 The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government Media Briefing 10 References 1 Slezak, M., The Guardian, ‘Great Barrier Reef bleaching made 175 times likelier by human-caused climate change, say scientists’, 29 April 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <https:// www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/29/great-barrierreef-bleaching-made-175-times-likelier-by-human-causedclimate-change-say-scientists> 2 Government of Australia, Department of Energy and the Environment, ‘The Reef 2050 Plan’, 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/long-termsustainability-plan> 3 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), ‘Great Barrier Reef: World Heritage Committee decides against declaring reef as 'in danger'’, 2 July 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <http:// www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-01/unesco-great-barrierreef/6588118> 4 Hasham, N. and Macdonald-Smith, A., Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Emissions target leaves Australia trailing pack, say critics’, 11 August 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.smh. com.au/federal-politics/political-news/emissions-target-leavesaustralia-trailing-pack-say-critics-20150811-giwtgm.html> 5 Taylor, L., The Guardian, ‘Coal from Carmichael mine 'will create more annual emissions than New York’, 12 Nov 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/2015/nov/12/coal-from-carmichael-mine-willcreate-more-annual-emissions-than-new-york> 6 Milman, O., The Guardian, ‘Adani Carmichael mine in Queensland gets another green light from Coalition’, 15 October 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/ business/2015/oct/15/adani-carmichael-mine-in-queenslandgets-another-green-light-from-coalition> 7 Goldenberg, S et al, The Guardian, ‘Paris climate deal: nearly 200 nations sign in end of fossil fuel era’, 13 December 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/2015/dec/12/paris-climate-deal-200-nations-signfinish-fossil-fuel-era> 8 Horn, A., Ford, E et al, ABC, ‘Abbot Point: Federal Government approves huge coal port expansion near Great Barrier Reef’, 23 December 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www. abc.net.au/news/2015-12-22/massive-abbot-point-coal-portexpansion-gets-federal-approval/7047380> 9 Empire State Realty Trust, ‘Empire State Building Fact Sheet,’ undated, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.esbnyc. com/sites/default/files/esb_fact_sheet_4_9_14_4.pdf> 10Bourke, L., Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Australia's carbon emissions jump in 2015’, 26 December 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/ australias-carbon-emissions-jump-in-2015--20151225-glv017. html> 11AAP via Sky News, ‘Coral bleaching on Barrier Reef getting worse’, 21 March 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http:// www.skynews.com.au/news/national/qld/2016/03/21/coralbleaching-on-barrier-reef-getting-worse.html> 12AAP via The Guardian, ‘Adani's Carmichael coalmine leases approved by Queensland’, 3 April 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/ apr/03/adanis-carmichael-coalmine-leases-approved-byqueensland> 13Safi, M. and Slezak, M., The Guardian, ‘CSIRO confirms up to 350 job cuts, with climate research bearing the brunt’, 4 February 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <https://www.theguardian. com/australia-news/2016/feb/04/csiro-confirms-300-job-cutswith-climate-research-bearing-the-brunt> 14Arup, T., Sydney Morning Herald, ‘The Great Barrier Reef: 93% hit by coral bleaching, surveys reveal’, 20 April 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.smh.com.au/environment/ climate-change/the-great-barrier-reef--93-hit-by-coralbleaching-surveys-reveal-20160419-goa6jw.html> 15Normile, D., Science, ‘Survey confirms worst-ever coral bleaching at Great Barrier Reef’, 18 April 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/04/surveyconfirms-worst-ever-coral-bleaching-great-barrier-reef> 16Slezak, M., The Guardian, ‘Australia scrubbed from UN climate change report after government intervention’, 27 May 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/2016/may/27/australia-scrubbed-from-un-climatechange-report-after-government-intervention> 17Slezak, M., The Guardian, ‘Agencies say 22% of Barrier Reef coral is dead, correcting 'misinterpretation'’, 3 June 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, < https://www.theguardian.com/ environment/2016/jun/03/agencies-say-22-of-barrier-reef-coralis-dead-correcting-misinterpretation> 18Slezak, M., The Guardian, ‘When you poke the Coalition's Great Barrier Reef 'rescue mission' it crumbles’, 13 June 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/ australia-news/2016/jun/13/when-you-poke-the-coalitionsgreat-barrier-reef-rescue-mission-it-crumbles> 19Burke, G., ABC, ‘Queensland tree clearing laws fail to pass Parliament in blow to minority Labor Government’, 19 August 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.abc.net.au/ news/2016-08-19/queensland-parliament-tree-clearing-lawsfail-unesco-fears/7765214> 20Government of Australia, Department of Energy and the Environment, ‘Reef 2050 Plan Annual Report and Implementation Strategy’, 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www. environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/publications/reef-2050-planannual-report-implementation-strategy> 21Muttitt, G. et al, Oil Change International et al, ‘The Sky’s Limit: Why the Paris Climate Goals Require a Managed Decline of Fossil Fuel Production’, 22 September 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://priceofoil.org/2016/09/22/the-skys-limit-report/> 22ABC, ‘Adani coal mine gains 'critical' status as Queensland Government moves to kick-start project’ 10 October 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.abc.net.au/ news/2016-10-10/adani-coal-mine-gains-critical-statusqueensland-kick-start-move/7917506> 23AAP via 9 News, ‘Call for more climate focus in reef plan’, 16 October 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.9news. com.au/national/2016/10/17/13/40/call-for-more-climate-focusin-reef-plan> 24See, for example, links accessed 4 November 2016: 11 Media Briefing The Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and the Australian government Comparison with Sydney <http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/ cpsprodpb/74D9/production/_86131992_sydney_carmichael_ mine_comparison_624.jpg>, Paris <https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Carmichael_coal_mine#/media/File:Carmichael_mine_Paris. jpg>, London <https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/ theausinstitute/pages/176/attachments/original/1440036045/ London_vs_Carmichael.jpg?1440036045> 25Muttitt, G. et al, Oil Change International et al, ‘The Sky’s Limit: Why the Paris Climate Goals Require a Managed Decline of Fossil Fuel Production’, 22 September 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://priceofoil.org/2016/09/22/the-skys-limit-report/> 26Greenpeace Australia Pacific, ‘Exporting climate change, killing the Reef’, April 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www. greenpeace.org/australia/en/what-we-do/climate/resources/ reports/Exporting-climate-change-killing-the-Reef/> 27PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, 'Trends in global CO2 emission: 2015 report', November 2015, accessed 7 November 2016, <http://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/news_docs/jrc2015-trends-in-global-co2-emissions-2015-report-98184.pdf> 28International Energy Agency. 'Coal medium term market report 2015', December 2015, accessed 7 November 2016 <http:// www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/MTCMR2015SUM.pdf> 29Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. 'Great Barrier Reef outlook report 2014', August 2014, accessed 7 November 2016 <http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/cdn/2014/GBRMPA-OutlookReport-IN-BRIEF-2014/> 30Muttitt, G. et al, Oil Change International et al, ‘The Sky’s Limit: Why the Paris Climate Goals Require a Managed Decline of Fossil Fuel Production’, 22 September 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://priceofoil.org/2016/09/22/the-skys-limit-report/> 31Greenpeace Australia Pacific, ‘Exporting climate change, killing the Reef’, April 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www. greenpeace.org/australia/en/what-we-do/climate/resources/ reports/Exporting-climate-change-killing-the-Reef/> 32ibid. 33Government of Australia, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, ‘Facts about the Great Barrier Reef’, undated, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/ about-the-reef/facts-about-the-great-barrier-reef> 34Government of Australia, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, ‘Criteria values and attributes’, undated, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef/ heritage/great-barrier-reef-world-heritage-area/criteria-valuesand-attributes> 35Amos, C., and Swann, T., The Australia Institute, ‘Carmichael in context: Quantifying Australia’s threat to climate action’, November 2015, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://www.tai. org.au/sites/defualt/files/Amos%202015%20Carmichael%20 in%20context%20-.pdf> 36Muttitt, G. et al, Oil Change International et al, ‘The Sky’s Limit: Why the Paris Climate Goals Require a Managed Decline of Fossil Fuel Production’, 22 September 2016, accessed 4 November 2016, <http://priceofoil.org/2016/09/22/the-skys-limit-report/> © Gary Bell / oceanwideimages.com © The Ocean Agency Chapter A before and after image of coral bleaching and later dying in March / May 2016, at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef. For more information contact: Available for interview: Shani Tager Reef campaigner Mobile: +61 427 914 070 [email protected] Media enquiries: Liam Kelly Mobile: +61 407 742 025 [email protected] Photo/Video resources: Great Barrier Reef photographs/ video footage available at: photo.greenpeace.org Published April 2016 by: Greenpeace Australia Pacific Level 2, 33 Mountain Street Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia © 2016 Greenpeace greenpeace.org/australia