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Australia and China clash over Unesco plan to downgrade Great Barrier Reef’s World Heritage status
- The Great Barrier Reef has suffered three mass coral bleaching events in the past five years, prompting Unesco to consider listing it as ‘in danger’
- ‘We will appeal but China is in control,’ an Australian government source said. Beijing dismissed the claim of interference as ‘lies and misinformation’
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Australia on Tuesday said it will strongly oppose a Unesco plan to list the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger” over deterioration caused by climate change, which has created yet another flashpoint in its relationship with China.
An Australian government source has suggested China was responsible for pushing for the reef’s World Heritage Status to be downgraded, but Beijing on Tuesday dismissed the accusation.
“This is entirely baseless slandering – the same as the many lies and misinformation spread by some Australians who did that out of their ideological bias,” said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry.
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The UN body on Monday released a draft report recommending the reef’s World Heritage status be reconsidered because of its dramatic coral decline, after years of public threats to do so. Environmental campaigners said the decision highlighted Australia’s lack of action to curb its carbon emissions which contribute to global warming.
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Environment Minister Sussan Ley said Australia would challenge the move, accusing UN officials of going back on their assurances ahead of the World Heritage Committee’s 44th session in China next month, where the recommendation will be formally considered.
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