Category: Great Barrier Reef

Energy Security Is National Security

Commentary As Ukraine burns and a worldwide inflationary crisis threatens to crush the living standards of working people everywhere, out-of-touch political elites continue to bring the global conversation back to climate change. Even as climate evangelists like Boris Johnson and Elon Musk call for a temporary pause on the rollout of “renewable” energy as fuel…


Australian Government Does Not Have a Climate Duty of Care Says Federal Court

The Australian government owes no legal obligation to protect individuals from supposed harm from climate change, the Federal Court of Australia has ruled. On March 15, the full bench of the court overturned an earlier decision that recognised that Environment Minister Sussan Ley had to consider the potential harm from climate change when deciding whether…


$1 Billion Election Pledge to Protect Great Barrier Reef

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged $1 billion over the next nine years towards the Great Barrier Reef if elected, after successfully campaigning UNESCO to delay a decision to list the World Heritage site as “in danger” six months ago. The announcement comes three weeks after Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said he would inject…


Australian Marine Geophysicist Loses Battle for Academic Free Speech

Marine geophysicist and Great Barrier Reef (GBR) expert Peter Ridd has lost his appeal to the Australian High Court, which determined that his sacking from James Cook University (JCU) was not a violation of his right to intellectual freedom. Ridd was fired in 2018 after he questioned the quality and reliability assurance processes of his…


Corals Are Fighters That Can Cope With Climate Change: Study

Corals are able to cope with climate change and changing sea temperatures better than previously thought, a new study found. Published on Monday, the study led by James Cook University’s (JCU) Coral Centre of Excellence found that coral is good at passing on adaptive traits onto new generations, such as genes for living in warmer…


UNESCO’s Great Barrier Reef ‘In Danger’ Listing Part of CCP’s Ruthless Campaign Against Australia: MP

The China-chaired UNESCO panel has given Australia eight months to submit a progress report on the Great Barrier Reef after it agreed to defer the ‘in danger’ vote until mid-2022. In the committee meeting, 19 out of 21 countries agreed that there should not be an immediate in danger listing. Federal MP George Christensen who…


UNESCO Keeps Great Barrier Reef Off ‘In Danger’ List After Pushback From Australia

The Great Barrier Reef will not be added to a list of World Heritage Sites that are “in danger” after a UN panel on Friday agreed to defer a vote until 2022 amid pushback from Australia. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee was held virtually in the Chinese city of Fuzhou. The committee members agreed to an…


Australia Awaits UNESCO Vote for Great Barrier Reef ‘In Danger’ Listing

Australia is waiting for the decision of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee that could put the Great Barrier Reef under the list of ‘endangered’ sites. The committee is being held virtually and in the Chinese city of Fuzhou, with the decision is expected to pass down on Friday night Australian Eastern Standard Time. The Australian…


Fired for Questioning: An Australian Geophysicist Fight for Academic Freedom

The act of questioning the quality of his colleague’s work has turned into a fight for intellectual freedom in Australia’s apex legal institution, the High Court. Marine geophysicist Peter Ridd’s legal battle for freedom of speech is nearing its end after his appeal was heard in the High Court on June 23. Former Professor Ridd,…


Australia: UN Recommending Great Barrier Reef Be Listed ‘In Danger’ Is Politically Motivated

CANBERRA—The Great Barrier Reef should be added to a list of World Heritage Sites that are “in danger,” a United Nations panel said on Tuesday, drawing an angry response from Australia, which called the recommendation politically motivated. Australia has lobbied furiously for years to stay off the endangered list as it could lead to the…