[Coral-List] recommendation to list Great Barrier Reef as in danger

[Douglas Fenner]

A flurry of articles in the popular press on this story.  A quick search
reveals many more stories than these.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/australia-against-listing-the-great-barrier-reef-as-in-danger-politics-playing-a-role/ar-AALjRCW

The Environment Minister repeats the statement that it is the best managed
reef in the world.  People used to say that, I don't read that very often
any more.  Is it???  There are reefs that have been damaged less, but is
that because they are managed better, or just pure good luck that bleaching
hit somewhere else this time???  Local management isn't very effective at
reducing  bleaching is it??

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/australia-rejects-u-n-warning-to-list-great-barrier-reef-as-in-danger/ar-AALjtCj

Terry Hughes, director of the Australian Research Council’s Center for
Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, said Australia’s refusal to commit to a
net zero carbon emissions target by 2050 made the country a “complete
outlier.”

“This draft decision from UNESCO is pointing the finger at Australia and
saying: ’If you’re serious about saving the Great Barrier Reef, you need to
do something about your climate policies,’” Hughes told Australian
Broadcasting Corp.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-danger-unesco-flags-risk-to-australia-s-great-barrier-reef/ar-AALiH5g

https://www.yahoo.com/news/australia-blames-china-un-move-061701171.html

BUT, But, aren't ALL the world's reef corals in danger over the next 20-30
years???  (let alone by 2100)

And what is the biggest threat to the corals on the GBR?  Isn't it mass
coral bleaching?  From global warming?  And yes, Australia emits even more
CO2 per person than the US, which emits much more than China per person
(twice as much, Australia 24/person, US 17 per person, China 8.4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_greenhouse_gas_emissions_per_person).
BUT, Australia has a tiny population, something like 22 million.  The US
has emitted more CO2 than any other country, by a factor of 2, over
history.  If the EU was a single country, it might compete with the US.
China has emitted half as much as the US over history but now emits twice
as much as the US per year.  Australia is not even in the running, no way.
     Yes, Australia is responsible for land runoff and fishing.  But let's
be fair about this, Australia could stop emitting CO2 tomorrow, zero from
now on, and we wouldn't even be able to detect the difference in the
atmosphere.
      I'm afraid we're all in this boat together, some more than others,
but it will take the whole world going carbon neutral to save the GBR and
the other reef ecosystems of the world.
      Won't it????   and Australia needs to play it's part and do a lot
more, but other countries are more responsible for the GBR decline than it
is.  Aren't they????

Cheers, Doug




-- 
Douglas Fenner
Lynker Technologies, LLC, Contractor
NOAA Fisheries Service
Pacific Islands Regional Office
Honolulu
and:
Coral Reef Consulting
PO Box 997390
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799-6298  USA

Slashing emissions by 2050 isn't enough.  We can bring down temperature now.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/climate-deadlines-super-pollutants-hfcs-methane/2021/04/15/acb8c612-9d7d-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html

Humans have destroyed 97% of earth's ecosystems
(well, more like only 3% are fully intact)
https://a.msn.com/r/2/BB1fH7DT?m=en-us&referrerID=InAppShare

Study: One-third of plant and animal species could be gone in 50 years.
(but 2-4 times worse in tropics)
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/uoa-soo021220.php
https://www.pnas.org/content/117/8/4211