IUCN/UNESCO Visit To Great Barrier Reef Set For Late March; Morrison Investing In Green Paint
A United Nations monitoring trip to the Great Barrier Reef will land in Queensland later this month just as forecasts suggest the risk of widespread coral bleaching will be at its highest. Unesco has confirmed two scientists will carry out the mission, requested by the Morrison government, lasting for 10 days from 21 March.
Forecasting from the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) shows the visit could coincide with the reef being at risk of widespread bleaching. Environment groups told the Guardian while they were not aware of any details of the itinerary, it was vital the scientists were allowed to see any bleaching for themselves.
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Unesco said the visit was confirmed by letter to the Australian government on 21 February, but there had been no official announcement of the visit. One expert from Unesco and another from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) would travel to the reef. Unesco declined to provide any details about where the scientists would visit, as did the office of the environment minister, Sussan Ley.
A report from the mission is expected to be completed by early May ahead of a scheduled meeting of the 21-country world heritage committee in June. The Morrison government has argued the reef is being singled out, and that world heritage sites should not be placed on the in danger list because of impacts from climate change.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/10/unesco-to-visit-great-barrier-reef-as-bleaching-risk-rises