Faizel Patel – 25/06/2021

The United Nation’s (UN) World Heritage Committee has released a draft report finding that the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is in danger.

In the report, the UN says despite commitments and progress under a long-term sustainability plan known as Reef 2050, the Great Barrier Reef continues to deteriorate and has suffered significant coral bleaching over the past five years.

The World Heritage Committee convened under the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says Australia has not done enough to protect the world’s largest coral reef system from the impacts of climate change.

Speaking to Radio Islam, the UN’s Zeenat Abdool says Australia has indicated that it will fight plans to downgrade the Great Barrier Reef’s World Heritage status due to climate change

Abdool says the UN has indicated that more needs to be done to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

“They say that the reef plan or the Reef 2050 plan requires stronger and clearer commitment in particular urgently countering the effects of climate change but also towards extending water quality improvement and land management measures.”

Abdool also touched on news about the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout including education being halted in many parts of the world among other matters related to the UN.

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

Listen to the UN Report with Zeenat Abdool