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The lead author of a major UN report on climate change has expressed his shock that every reference to Australia was removed from the final version, following intervention from the Australian government.

Guardian Australia on Friday revealed that chapters on the Great Barrier Reef and sections on Kakadu and Tasmanian forests were removed from the World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate report, following the Australian Department of Environment’s objection that the information could harm tourism.

The Union of Concerned Scientists, which jointly published the report with the United Nations environment program and Unesco, published an independent statement on the reef this morning.

Continue reading:  Great Barrier Reef: UN report lead author ‘shocked’ all Australian references removed

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9 thoughts on “Great Barrier Reef: UN report lead author ‘shocked’ all Australian references removed”

  3. I saw the ticker on this, but can’t quite understand what’s going on here. Kakadu is fine, although there are some mines in there, but the regulations governing them (and the policing of those regulations) are strict. Tasmania has always battled logging, but we’ve had good victories in establishing protected parks, and i think all old growth Huon pine is completely off limits. Still, more protection could never hurt. Did they remove the reef report because of tourism concerns? Why would the UN even cave to the government on this?

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    • Why did the UN cave? Good question.

      Regarding the ecological future of Kakadu and Tasmania, changes are definitely coming. While corals are particularly sensitive and vulnerable to temperature and acidity changes in the ocean (which are bearing the brunt of climate impacts right now), land vegetation (i.e. trees) will eventually suffer as well. In fact, we are currently seeing poleward and elevation shifts of most species of flora as they attempt to adapt to a warming world. Like corals, these species form the basis of vital land ecosystems.

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