Due to its status as a World Heritage Site, the Great Barrier Reef has arguably been protected from serious environmental damage. In fact, the Australian government emphasizes that while one can enjoy the reef, they must do so in a “reef friendly” way, outlining what they describe as responsible reef practices. However, recently, authorities have approved dumping of dredge waste from a coal port company into the reef’s waters. Many individuals are concerned about the way the part is currently being managed, and campaigns such as Save the Reef and Fight for the Reef have started in an attempt to prevent this from happening. This current state of events begs the question, however – will any management practice be able to save the reef from the power of lobbying?
Sources:
– http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/visit-the-reef/responsible-reef-practices
– http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/World-Heritage-Site
– http://www.businessinsider.com/australia-to-dump-waste-onto-great-barrier-reef-to-make-room-for-coal-port-2014-1
– http://www.SaveTheReef.org.au/
– https://fightforthereef.org.au/reef-fighting-fund/
Image: http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2013/10/30/1226623/002547-barrier-reef.jpg