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Argument Against The Great Barrier Reef In Australia

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When US president Barack Obama brought up the Great Barrier Reef in an address to students at Brisbane University, many Australians felt as though their government had been called onto the carpet and scolded. The rest of the world, it appeared, was more concerned than Australian citizens about the Australian government’s laid-back attitude towards the ongoing destruction of the reef.
While government officials looked the other way, half of the coral has disappeared from along the length of the Great Barrier Reef. Additionally, vast areas of the reef’s coral have suffered serious degradation. It isn’t surprising that the area’s unique level of biodiversity is being threatened by the damage as well.
Although Australians naturally feel possessive about the reef, the rest of the globe recognizes it as an …show more content…

If the reef is declared endangered, the effect on the country’s tourism industry could be devastating. In fact, the ordinarily slow-moving federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, secretly raced to Europe to make a last-minute plea against the WHC’s ballot initiative.
Hunt’s promises of ecological responsibility may have convinced some UNESCO ambassadors that declaring the reef endangered is unnecessary. However, Australian conservationists remain unconvinced, especially since the government has since approved more of the same kind of major projects that caused the damage to the reef.
Conservationists accuse the Australian government of downplaying the new projects when it made its conservation report to the World Heritage Committee. They also say the government overstated its conservation efforts.
The WHC came to similar conclusions, issuing a dismal report on Australia’s spotty preservation record. However, it agreed to delay the vote on endangerment pending the preparation of a new report detailing the Australian government’s compliance with its obligations to the

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