Reef 2050 'will not save Australia's Great Barrier Reef'

The Australian government's plan to save the iconic Great Barrier Reef is less than adequate, failing to address the major reasons behind the reef's decline, say scientists from the Australian Academy of Science.

The draft plan, called Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, is supposed to be a guideline for not only protecting the reef, but the adjacent Queensland coastline. The plan was developed in partnership with the governments of Australia and Queensland, with added input from various environmental and other groups. Citizens were given six-weeks to respond to the draft, with public submissions on the plan being closed on Monday.

After this time, the Australian government will study any public concerns before submitting the plan to the UNESCO World Heritage committee in late January, 2015 for their consideration in mid-2015. UNESCO has threatened to put the Great Barrier Reef on its endangered World Heritage sites.

Will the plan be enough to save the reef?
 
But the question remains: Will the Reef 2050 Plan be enough to protect one of the world's greatest natural wonders? Scientists from Australia's Academy of Science say "No." The plan failed to address the role of climate change in the degradation of the reef, and did not address poor water-quality, coastal development or fishing. The Business Insider quoted academy fellow Terry Hughes as saying, "The science is clear, the reef is degraded and its condition is worsening. This is a plan that won't restore the reef, it won't even maintain it in its already diminished state."