Australian Academy of Science response to Reef plan
‘The reef is under ever increasing pressure, arguably made worse by recent policy and legislative changes such as Australia currently having no market-based mechanism in place to reduce carbon emissions; funding cuts to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), CSIRO, the Australian Research Council and other science agencies; and the relaxation of land clearing laws in Queensland. UNESCO has expressed its concern over the decline of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area’s Outstanding Universal Value due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, particularly the rapid industrialisation of the Queensland coastline, and the World Heritage Committee is threatening to place the reef on the World Heritage “In Danger” list.’