Save Great Barrier Reef from becoming dumping ground
09 Feb 2015 | by wwf.panda.org
If unchecked, reckless industrialization alongside the Great Barrier Reef could cause severe damage to one of Earth's most important environmental systems, according to a new report commissioned by WWF. The Great Barrier Reef Under Threat found that the dumping of waste from port expansions within its World Heritage-listed boundaries would have "devastating impacts" on the reef.
In order to prevent unacceptable new stress on this already-vulnerable ecosystem, WWF is calling on the Australian government to ban all dumping of dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Site.
"The Great Barrier Reef is one of the planet's richest ocean habitats, home to endangered species, a valuable economic asset for Australia, and a natural treasure for the whole world.Turning the reef into a dumping ground is the wrong choice for the environment and makes no business sense, particularly to build ports that are unnecessary," said WWF International Director General Marco Lambertini.
