Member countries of the United Nations’ World Heritage Committee have strongly criticised Australia’s conservative Liberal-National government for approving a coal terminal near the Great Barrier Reef.
The committee was meeting in Doha, Qatar to assess the conservation state of World Heritage Listed sites around the world that are overseen by UNESCO.
In something of a reprieve for Australia the UN committee deferred a decision on whether to list the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger” until next year.
However, many countries flagged serious concerns with the decision to approve the expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal.
The terminal’s expansion would involve the dumping of three million cubic metres of dredge spoil in the Marine Park Area, within 20 kilometres of the reef.
“We acknowledge with concerns the range of threats facing this exceptional example of Outstanding Universal Value,” the Jamaican delegation said.
“Based purely on the evidence referenced by the experts, it is clear that the integrity of the site is at risk.
“We would wish to encourage Australia to urgently review its recent decisions regarding development projects.”
The Portuguese delegation also raised concerns.
“The major cause for the reef degradation is not only a consequence of extreme weather conditions and climate change as Australian government documents seem to imply, but also due to human causes and interference,” ABC News reports José Filipe Mendes Moraes Cabral of the Portugese delegation said.
“We are concerned that not only Canberra is handing over environmental approval powers to the Queensland state government on a matter of such high national and international relevance, but also other measures that have been taken that can deteriorate the health of the reef even more.
“I am referring to the four major developments within the site at Abbot Point and the Port of Gladstone relating to coal terminals, natural gas facilities and pipelines, as this involves the dumping of enormous quantities of dredge material at the site.”
The committee’s final decision said it “regrets” the decision to approve the dumping of the dredge material in the Marine Park Area “prior to having undertaken a comprehensive assessment of alternative and potentially less impacting development and disposal options”.
ABC News revealed earlier this year that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority last year believed the dumping proposal should be refused, however it did not have the authority to stop the dumping.
At the World Heritage Committee meeting in Doha, the Australian delegation said it was just “sand and silt” and that it rejected suggestions the assessment process was inadequate.
The Environment Minister in Queensland’s conservative Liberal National Party state government, Andrew Powell, travelled to Doha in a seemingly failed bid to convince UNESCO the reef was not in danger.
The Malaysian delegation attempted to water down some of the proposals relating to the dredge spoil dumping, but the amendments were overwhelmingly rejected.
The draft decision was eventually accepted unchanged; giving the Queensland and Federal Governments another year to show that progress is being made on the reef.
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt said he was pleased the committee did not list the reef “in danger”.
“Protection of this vast and priceless ecosystem is an ongoing challenge but we are confident that we have the processes, resources and environmental protection mechanisms in place to ensure that the Great Barrier Reef continues to be among the best managed and protected world heritage areas in the world,” he said in a statement.
A report card released by the State Government earlier this month showed improvements in water quality, with land management practices resulting in a 28 per cent decline in pesticide run-off.
