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https://theconversation.com/water-pollution-has-long-been-a-threat-to-the-great-barrier-reef-plans-to-fix-it-arent-up-to-the-task-286850>
"When you think about threats to the Great Barrier Reef, coral bleaching due to
climate change would likely be first.
But the world’s largest reef system faces many threats. One surprisingly large
threat is poor water quality. When sediment is washed off farms, cities and
bushland into rivers, it can be transported kilometres offshore. If there’s too
much, it can smother corals and seagrass meadows. Fertiliser and pesticide
residue can make things worse.
Unlike the global problem of climate change, water quality is a threat
Australia can directly address. The issue has been repeatedly flagged by
UNESCO, the United Nations body responsible for World Heritage areas such as
the reef. In its latest draft decision – the fourth since 2023 – water quality
remains a major issue, alongside climate change.
The draft decision notes “with utmost concern, the continuing negative impacts
on hard coral cover across the Reef” and asks the Australian government to
report on the damage done by coral bleaching in 2024–25 as well as poor water
quality, unsustainable fishing practices and poorly managed uses of coastal
land. The draft decision also requests an assessment of the impacts caused by
dumping sediments from dredging in coastal waters.
In April, the Queensland and federal governments released a revised strategy to
improve water quality. Previous plans have talked the talk but failed to
deliver.
The new strategy is also likely to disappoint. It relies on broad vision
statements without clear responsibilities, an adequate budget or realistic
actions."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
