Thread by @David_Ritter

The real life consequences of climate inaction for nature and wildlife can get lost in the detail of policy, conferences and targets.
So, let's take a look at the real impact on an icon.
What does Scott Morrison's climate policy really mean for our Great Barrier Reef?
A thread:

First some history. Back in 1981, the Great Barrier Reef was declared as World Heritage under UNESCO. Australia promised the world that “to the utmost of its resources” our nation would “do all it can” to protect the Reef: whc.unesco.org/en/conventiont…

Flash forward to early 2016, the first of recent mass bleaching events occurred on the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists estimated 22% of coral was killed, clearly linked this to climate change and noted the need for urgent action to counter impacts. nature.com/articles/d4158…

Instead of responding to this event, in May 2016, the Australian government lobbied to ensure the Reef was omitted from a report on World Heritage sites threatened by climate change: theguardian.com/environment/20…

Further great bleaching events followed in 2017 and 2020. A quarter of the Great Barrier Reef was severely bleached by the three great bleachings in five years. All linked to climate change:
theconversation.com/we-just-spent-…

In May 2019, after lobbying UNESCO to avoid placing the Reef on the ‘in danger’ list, Morrison stated the Coalition had ‘saved the Great Barrier Reef’. Countless scientific studies at the time & since have shown this statement to be patently untrue:
theguardian.com/environment/20…

In Sept 2019, Morrison told the UN Australia was ‘doing its bit’ on climate change with a ‘vibrant, resilient and protected’ Reef - one month after the @gbrmarinepark’s report found the Reef had deteriorated to very poor & with no federal climate policy: theconversation.com/defiant-scott-…

In Nov 2019, the Australian Academy of Science told a Senate Inquiry it was ‘greatly concerned’ over the Australian government misrepresenting scientific evidence on the Reef to suit an agenda of misinformation about its health. aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_…

In Sept & Oct 2020, scientists gave evidence of Australian politicians misrepresenting and refusing to accept scientific evidence to avoid admitting the deteriorating state of the Reef’s health. theguardian.com/environment/20…

Earlier this year the Australian government engaged in extensive, cynical lobbying to keep the Reef off the ‘in danger’ list due to climate change, despite the fact it is unquestionably in mortal danger from climate change:
sbs.com.au/news/great-bar…

Australia’s Reef 2050 Plan, supposedly designed to protect and preserve the GBR, contains no action to reduce emissions which are driving climate change which is the greatest threat to the Reef’s survival.
theguardian.com/environment/20…

Morrison’s recent net zero ‘plan’, features no legislation or mechanism for reducing emissions in line with what is necessary to give the Great Barrier Reef a chance:
theconversation.com/australias-net…

Although leaders were asked to bring increased ambition to #COP26 for serious emissions reductions this decade, Morrison refused to update our measly 26-28% reduction goals by 2030.
theguardian.com/australia-news…

Australian officials were busy in Glasgow, lobbying to remove references to the 1.5C limit that is necessary to give some protection to World Heritage sites like the Reef:
theguardian.com/world/2021/nov…

On Friday afternoon the modelling that backs up the ‘plan’, does not even attempt to limit warming to 1.5C, the global agreed goal, but only models 2C.
In other words, Morrison’s “plan” basically assumes the destruction of the Reef:
theguardian.com/environment/20…

And let’s not forget the Morrison government remains stubbornly wedded to coal, oil and gas, the biggest cause of the climate crisis. Without committing to phasing out fossil fuels and committing to ending subsidies, it is not possible to say the government is protecting the Reef

All of this put together shows that Scott Morrison is not fulfilling his duties at Prime Minister to the protect the Australian people, or our beautiful natural places such as the Great Barrier Reef.

Q: So what are the real-life consequences of Morrison’s climate inaction for the one and only Great Barrier Reef?
A: They are predicated on the destruction of the Reef as we know it.

Morrison’s duty, as prime minister of Australia, is to do his utmost to protect the Great Barrier Reef. He has now told us, in effect, that he is not planning to fulfil that duty and should be held to account.
More to come.

We visited Kirribilli House today to put @ScottMorrisonMP on notice for his persistent failure, most recently at #COP26 , to protect the Great Barrier Reef through meaningful climate policy.
He has now been notified he is in breach of his Treaty obligations to protect the Reef.