Queensland Conservation 21/1/14
Would you accept the dumping of dredge waste in the Grand Canyon or the Taj Mahal?
There are 981 World Heritage Sites around the world. These are very special places acknowledged for their cultural or natural values. World heritage sites include the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Egypt, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Stonehenge, Pompeii and Yellowstone National Park. Australia has 19 World Heritage Sites, with Queensland home to five of those sites. Australian World Heritage sites are mostly recognised for their outstanding natural value, rather than their cultural value, e.g. Kakadu, Shark Bay,Tasmanian Wilderness–although our list does include cultural value, with the inclusion of the Sydney Opera House. The fact that so many of Australia’s World Heritage sites have outstanding natural value is testament to the guardianship of the traditional owners of this land and their respect for country.
The Great Barrier Reef is probably the best known of Australia’s World Heritage Sites. For many overseas it is one of the only things they know about Australia. Threatening the value of the Great Barrier Reef is therefore a significant risk not simply to the Reef, it is also a significant risk to our international reputation.
Just imagine the global outcry if other World Heritage Sites were threatened? Would we accept dumping waste in the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal or Notre Dame Cathedral? No way would we–and yet this is what’s been decided for the Great Barrier Reef. Taking three million cubic metres of dredge spoil from a port expansion and dumping it in the Great Barrier Reef, even though alternative options exist and could be implemented.
The Australian and Queensland Governments are now saying that they will allow this to happen–but never again. We say that’s really not good enough. There is a principle here, don’t dump your dredge waste in the Great Barrier Reef. It is too precious to risk, particularly as the reason for dredging these ports is to increase coal exports, increase global emissions and put more pressure on the Reef from climate changes.
In 2011, the Australian and Queensland Governments agreed to a Strategic Assessment of the impacts affecting the Great Barrier Reef. This followed years of lobbying from environment organisations and was finally prompted by the visit of UNESCO–the UN body responsible for World Heritage sites. A Strategic Assessment is conducted when a particular region is likely to be threatened by multiple and cumulative threats to its values.
. Both the Australian (through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) and the Queensland Government have now published their draft assessments, with public comment required today-31 January. Environment organisations have made their comments (see below) and expressed a range of concerns, notably about the Queensland Government assessment. Amongst the many concerns is the question of whether the assessment has actually met the outcomes it was required to do. Has it assessed all the current and proposed threats, the policies and regulations and the cumulative effects upon the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area?
Our view is that no, it hasn’t. The Queensland Government is promoting mining growth with associated port expansions, growing the population of the regions and the doubling of agricultural production. These are all factors that will have an impact upon the Reef.
Unfortunately, the report does not make for good reading. Let’s make one thing clear, environment groups do NOT want the Great Barrier Reef put on the ‘in danger’ list. This would signal a disaster for the estate, Australia’s reputation and for the tourism industry. This is why it is essential that both the Australian and State Governments act decisively to save the Great Barrier Reef.
In our view, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most precious things we have. It must be saved and protected from threat. The coal industry, which is a key driver behind these threats to the Reef, is a sunset industry. It should not be saved, or protected but phased out in favour of new, clean industries for the 21 century.
http://qldconservation.org.au/protectthegreatbarrierreef/