UNESCO demands Great Barrier Reef be listed as 'in danger
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Environment
- Published
23rd Jun, 2021
-
Context
UNESCO recommended the Great Barrier Reef should be put on a list of World Heritage Sites that are "in danger" due to the harm caused by climate change.
- If accepted, it would be the first time a natural World Heritage Site has been placed on the "in danger" list mostly because of impacts from climate change.
About the UNESCO’s recommendation
- It is the part of the row between UNESCO and the Australian government over the status of the reef.
- It gained World Heritage ranking in 1981.
- UNESCO is demanding it because of the rising sea temperatures as a result of global warming.
- There have been several "bleaching" eventson the reef in the past five years.
- Listing a site as "in danger" can help address threats and can unlock access to funds or publicity.
- The recommendation could affect a major tourism destination of Australia.
- It is said by UNESCO, that the Australian government is not doing enough to protect the greatest natural asset.
List of World Heritage in Danger
- It is designed to inform the international community of conditions that threaten sites listed on the World Heritage List and to encourage corrective action.
- Under the 1972 World Heritage Convention, a World Heritage property - as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention.
- It can be inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger by the Committee when it finds that the condition of the property corresponds to at least one of the criteria in either of the two cases of ascertained danger and potential danger.
- The cultural and Natural sites could be put on the list if they show certain conditions.
- Inscribing a site on the List of World Heritage in Danger allows the World Heritage Committee to allocate immediate assistance from the World Heritage Fund to the endangered property.
- Some of the sites listed in the danger list
- Iranian City of Bam
- Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan
|
