Great Barrier Reef protection plan inadequate: scientists

Australia's multi-million dollar plan to halt the worrying decline of the fragile Great Barrier Reef does nothing to address the threat of climate change and is unlikely to save the iconic reef, scientists warned today.
The Academy of Science, Australia's top science academy, has warned that a draft plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef will not prevent its decline and fails to address key pressures affecting the reef.
The draft plan, released for consultation last month, was supposed to allay concerns of UNESCO which had threatened to put the reef on the World Heritage "in danger" list.
In its submission to the Australian and Queensland governments' Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, the academy warns that the draft plan fails to effectively address any of the key pressures on the reef including climate change, poor water quality, coastal development and fishing.

The plan also does not address the fundamental governance issues for the reef, including conflict of interest issues and a lack of oversight.
One of the submission's contributing experts and academy Fellow, Professor Terry Hughes said much bolder action is required to restore the reef.

"The science is clear, the reef is degraded and its condition is worsening. This is a plan that won't restore the reef, it won't even maintain it in its already diminished state," Hughes said.
"It is also more than disappointing to see that the biggest threat to the reef - climate change - is virtually ignored in this plan," he said.

"While the plan identifies targets for reducing agricultural runoff, any improvements are likely to be swamped by unprecedented amounts of dredging for coal ports and by plans by the Queensland government to double agricultural production by 2040.
"The future of this national treasure, which generates over USD 5 billion per annum for the Australian economy, depends on less pollution from runoff and dredging, less carbon emissions from fossil fuels, and less fishing pressure," he said.
"The plan also seems overly focused on the short-term task of addressing UNESCO's concerns about the reef's World Heritage Listing, rather than the longer-term challenges of restoring the values of the reef," he added.

The submission also states that the reef is under ever increasing pressure, arguably made worse by recent policy and legislative changes such as Australia currently having no mechanism in place to reduce carbon emissions.