Progress report delivered and wetland strategy released for protection of Great Barrier Reef

The Australian Government has provided an update to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on how the Great Barrier Reef is receiving better protection with both Federal and Queensland Governments aiming to convince the UN body not to add the reef to its list of world heritage sites in danger.

With United Nations experts also having been concerned for years that progress to reduce sediment, nutrients and pollution running into the reef’s waters has been too slow, and to mark World Wetlands Day, the Federal and Queensland Government have today released a strategy to restore and protect wetlands in the catchment of the Great Barrier Reef.

Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek advised “we’ve wasted no time, working with the Queensland Government, Traditional Owners, industry, scientists, and local communities, to tackle the biggest risks to the Reef.”

In September 2023, the Australian and Queensland Governments welcomed the decision from the World Heritage Committee to not include the Great Barrier Reef on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

However, last year UNESCO’s 21-country world heritage committee followed recommendations from UNESCO that Australia should submit a progress report by 1st February 2024 addressing a list of concerns, including action on improving water quality, sustainable fishing and climate change.

Across the 21 commitments previously made to UNESCO to keep the reef off the world heritage ‘in danger’ list, the government report has advised that Australia was “on track” with 10, had completed nine and two more were “in progress”.

On climate change and to help limit the impacts of global heating on the reef, the UNESCO committee had said Australia needed to strengthen its Reef 2050 plan “to include clear government commitments to reduce greenhouse emissions consistent with the efforts required to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.”

In the government report submitted to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre in Paris yesterday, the Federal Government said it “commits to set successively more ambitious emissions reduction targets” that would be “in alignment with efforts to limit global temperature increase to 1.5C”.

Queensland Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leanne Linard advised “This report highlights our collaborative efforts as we continue to act on climate change, phase out harmful gillnet fishing and accelerate water quality projects on the Reef.

“We will continue to work with governments, scientists, Traditional Owners and local communities to ensure the survival of this great natural wonder for generations to come.”

UNESCO and its science advisers at the International Union for Conservation of Nature will consider the Australian Government’s report before making recommendations ahead of the world heritage committee’s July meeting in New Delhi.

Today, marking World Wetlands Day, the Federal and Queensland Governments have released a strategy - The Reef 2050 Wetlands Strategy - to restore and protect wetlands in the catchment of the Great Barrier Reef.

Wetlands help improve water quality, reduce pollution and provide a home for iconic animals like dugongs and turtles.

They are also key to the fight against climate change - wetlands cover around 6-9% of the Earth's surface and store a huge 35% of global terrestrial carbon.

Wetlands also hold significant cultural and spiritual importance to First Nations communities who have been successfully managing them for thousands of years.

Unfortunately, wetlands in the Great Barrier Reef catchment have decreased by over 50% since European settlement, and degradation of wetlands is a major cause of increased carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.

Minister Plibersek notes "If we are serious about protecting our reef and tackling climate change, then we know we have to better protect wetlands. They are a vital part of our environment - absorbing pollutants, providing habitat for iconic native animals like dolphins and green sea turtles, and storing carbon dioxide.

"One of the most important things we can do to protect the Great Barrier Reef and the animals and plants that call it home is improve the quality of water flowing into its pristine waters.

"And that means protecting and restoring our precious wetlands.

"This new strategy means we can all work together to protect and restore our wetlands and our precious Great Barrier Reef."

The strategy is available here

UNESCO Progress Report

The update to UNESCO outlining what the Australian Government has achieved includes:

• Invested a record $1.2 billion in the Reef.

• Legislated to reach net zero, with a 43% cent emissions reduction target by 2030 and committed to reaching 82% renewable energy supply by 2030.

• Invested $200 million to improve water quality through projects such as revegetation, grazing management and engineering work like gully stabilisation.

• Rejected a coal mine that could have direct impacts on the Reef.

• Withdrawn federal funding for dams that would have had a detrimental impact on Reef water quality.

• Invested an extra $163.4 million to guarantee the future of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, doubling funding for Reef science.

• Committed to rewriting Australia’s broken environmental laws including establishing a national environment protection agency.

• Engaged more Indigenous Rangers to manage sea country, including combatting crown of thorns starfish outbreaks, marine plastics and ghost nets.

The Queensland Government has:

• Invested more than $1 billion since 2015 to protect the Reef including the current commitment of $289.6 million to the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.

• Announced an ambitious new interim emissions reduction target of 75% below 2005 levels by 2035 as we work towards net zero emissions by 2050.

• Introduced legislation into the Parliament to give effect to our $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, which will deliver a 90% reduction of electricity emissions on 2005 levels by 2035-36.

• Commenced, in partnership with the Australian Government, the phase-out of gillnets in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park with a $185 million package.

The Great Barrier Reef Progress Report can be found here: