The Australian government announced today that it will spend another 630 billion Australian dollars (about XNUMX million euros) to improve the condition of the Great Barrier Reef, after preventing it from being placed on the list of endangered world heritage.
Critics of the government claim that the investment is an attempt by the conservative coalition to improve its ratings ahead of parliamentary elections, while doing nothing to address the biggest threat to corals, rising ocean temperatures.
More than half of the stated amount will be invested over nine years in rehabilitating soil erosion along Australia's northeast coast, improving soil conditions and reducing runoff of nutrients and pesticides into the ocean.
Part of the money will be awarded to the agency that manages the Great Barrier Reef, with the goal of reducing threats to spiny starfish and preventing illegal fishing.
Part of the money is intended for research into ways to increase the resilience of reefs.
In July last year, Australia managed to prevent the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) from downgrading the status of the Great Barrier Reef and labeling it endangered due to damage caused by climate change.
Two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef was damaged because extremely high ocean temperatures in 2016, 2017 and 2020 led to so-called coral bleaching, a condition in which they are significantly more susceptible to disease and death.
UNESCO has asked the Australian government to provide more information by Tuesday on what it is doing to protect coral. The government announced today that it will send an answer within that period.
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