Nearly 700,000 ha of vegetation in Reef catchments was cleared in four years – with millions more at risk
Only strong federal nature laws will protect the Reef from deforestation and climate change – more than 80% of all Reef catchment clearing was on land exempt from Queensland's clearing laws
Australian and Queensland governments must close land clearing loopholes or risk the Great Barrier Reef being listed as World Heritage in Danger in 2026.
Strong nature laws that stop the open slather on tree clearing in the Great Barrier Reef catchments are essential if Australia wants to protect the Reef and keep it off the World Heritage in Danger List, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) warned today with the release of its report.
The report, Tree Clearing and Sediment Pollution in Great Barrier Reef Catchments 2018-2022, shows that almost 700,000 hectares (684,000ha) of native bushland were cleared in the four years after the Queensland Government strengthened its vegetation laws in 2018 - and that more than 80% of this destruction occurred on land exempt from those laws.
The Albanese Government has the chance to stop this clearing as part of the EPBC reforms slated as being introduced to Federal Parliament within the next two weeks.
AMCS Great Barrier Reef Campaign Manager Dr Lissa Schindler said: "Australia is a deforestation hotspot and Queensland the epicentre - almost half of tree clearing happens in Great Barrier Reef catchments.
"Hundreds of thousands of trees are being cleared every year, including in highly sensitive areas prone to erosion such as along creeks, rivers and degraded land. Most concerning is that around three million hectares of native vegetation could still be legally cleared if loopholes in laws designed to stop deforestation are not removed.
"Tree clearing causes soil erosion and worsens water pollution. Sediment can smother corals and seagrasses that marine life such as threatened dugongs depend upon. Both the Queensland and federal governments are investing a lot of money in reducing sediment runoff, so it doesn't make sense to allow this level of clearing to continue.
"The World Heritage Committee has repeatedly called on Australia to curb land clearing to protect the Great Barrier Reef, yet little has changed. If Australia wants to keep the Reef off the World Heritage in Danger list, then the government must act and close the loopholes that are driving deforestation."
AMCS is calling on the Australian and Queensland Governments to close deforestation loopholes through the upcoming federal nature law reforms, to remove or constrain Section 43B of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and ensure that strong national standards protect the Reef from land-based pollution and climate change.
Paul Gamblin, CEO of AMCS said "If laws meant to protect nature don't adequately protect the Great Barrier Reef, they don't hold water. We need strong nature laws that close loopholes and stop deforestation in Reef catchments. The Albanese Government has the opportunity - and the obligation - with the support of other parties, to deliver real environmental reforms in the coming weeks in Parliament."
