The focus on renewable energy in the budget is a good start for our Reef

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) has welcomed the Queensland government’s budget push towards a renewable energy future as encouraging news for our Great Barrier Reef.

Treasurer Cameron Dick announced that $ 645 million would be earmarked for clean energy and three renewable energy corridors in the sunny state.

“The greatest threat to our coral reef is climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels. The Queensland government is taking a positive step towards reducing these emissions by supporting job growth in the Queensland region with the creating these corridors, ”said AMCS Great Barrier Dr Lissa Schindler, Reef Campaign Manager.

“We are also delighted to see the Queensland government begin funding its promised climate action plan, which will determine how the state will achieve its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets until 2030. We will push the Queensland government to engage in the action required to limit warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius as part of this plan.

“Global warming is driving the devastating mass coral bleaching events that have hit our reef in recent years. Protecting this global icon through climate action is also good news for Queensland’s huge tourism industry, which has been so impacted by Covid-19 restrictions in 2020. “

Dr Schindler said AMCS is looking forward to working with the Queensland government to ensure that more funding to tackle poor water quality in the Great Barrier Reef is included in the next budget in mid-2021.

“Improving the quality of flowing water in our reef is essential to the North Queensland regional economy and farmers need support to implement best practices to benefit their businesses and our World Heritage-listed reef. Humanity, “he said.

“There are entrepreneurs and tourism workers who rely on the good health of our reef for their livelihood. Improving water quality has been pointed to by scientists and policymakers as an essential way to help our coral reef, along with action on climate change.

“The World Heritage Committee will meet next year to discuss whether our reef should be listed as ‘endangered’ due to the impact of threats such as water quality and the devastating mass coral bleaching events caused. from global warming.

“An” endangered “list for our global icon would be detrimental to our beleaguered tourism industry which is just beginning to recover from the Covid-19 restrictions, as well as extremely embarrassing for the Queensland and Australian governments.

The AMCS will also encourage the Queensland Government to invest in creating sustainable fisheries in the next budget, to support the continued implementation of the 2017-27 Sustainable Fisheries Strategy and the commercial fishing industry.

Simon Miller, AMCS Spokesperson for Fisheries, said, “We would like to see funds committed to the repurchase of commercial fishing licenses prioritizing the purchase of reef gill licenses. This method of fishing indiscriminately kills our iconic marine life such as dugongs, sawfish, turtles and dolphins and has no place in our reef.

“To increase public confidence in Queensland’s commercial fishing industry, we also want the government to introduce and finance electronic monitoring – cameras on boats – for trawl and high-risk fishing. This will provide accurate data on what is being captured, providing the public with accurate information on the true sustainability of these operations.

“We look forward to working with Fisheries Minister Mark Furner to ensure these provisions are included in Queensland’s 2021 budget to help fishermen maintain access to domestic and international markets and support Queensland’s economic recovery.”