Recently, UNESCO has shown an intense concern over the situation of the Great Barrier Reef. The agency wants "serious concern" on the coral bleaching and 2050 rescue plan for the reef.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO, put on a serious and intense concern on the problem of coral bleaching at Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Independent reported. Because of this, the agency is forcing the government, to work faster for the improvement of water quality in the place.
According to SBS, UNESCO wants the 2050 rescue plan target of the government for the Great Barrier Reef to be met if possible in the shortest time. Besides, the Reef 2050 Plan to rescue the Great Barrier Reef was already established two years ago by the Australian and Queensland governments, so the years are long enough to manage and protect the reef that was already on the "danger list" of UNESCO.
Meanwhile, UNESCO has praised the progress and initial implementation of the government for the Great Barrier Reef, but, the agency said that they want "serious concern" on the growing scale of mass bleaching on the reef. UNESCO still blames climate change as the most significant threat to the future of the 1,400-mile corals in the Great Barrier Reef, based on the draft report sent to the World Heritage Committee.
UNESCO said, "It is recommended that the Committee express its serious concern at the coral bleaching as well as the mortality that occurred during the previous two south hemisphere summers." "Progress toward achieving water quality targets has been slow," UNESCO added.
Consequently, the committee reasoned out that the law which they expected to regulate land clearing on the Great Barrier Reef has yet to be passed by the government. Furthermore, on a report submitted to Senate committee last month, it is noted that as much as half of the 133,000 square miles of coral reefs might be dead due to bleaching. The reports are quite alarming, and even though UNESCO has put Australia on probation two years ago, due to the health of the reefs, still the probation is ineffective.
