Topic: Promoting Ecologically Sound Development Strategies
Country: Australia
Delegate Name: Elle Knott
School: Grand Rapids City High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Australia position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
We are extremely lucky country in terms of biodiversity. The variety of life on earth is biological diversity. It is often considered at three levels which include genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Australia is one of about 12 megadiverse countries which together contain more than half of the world's species. Many species found in our nation are found nowhere else.It is in our best interest to conserve our biodiversity through environmental and economic means. Many of our primary industries are directly and or indirectly dependent on maintaining potential benefits of biodiversity for science, medicine, and agriculture.Conserving biodiversity is not just about conserving endangered species. It is about conserving habitats and ecosystems as a whole.
The Great Barrier Reef is known as the largest living structure on earth. Conserving the reef’s biodiversity is not only desirable, it is extremely essential. The world heritage status of the Reef proves its great diversity of species and habitats. The variety of life along the reef is immensely vast, the reef itself extends over 14 degrees of latitudinal range. One of the world's most important dugong populations and six of the world's seven species of marine turtle reside in this Reef. Some 1625 species of fish swim survive among more than 450 species of hard coral. Less commonly known species like molluscs, sponges, marine algae, and sea pens also reside in the Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef’s complexity means that a collaborative approach is necessary when considering the long-term management of Reef’s biodiversity. Any single organization working alone cannot possibly achieve productive means to protect the Reef's biodiversity. Many Government agencies, stakeholders, and community members play an important role in providing the means necessary to do so. The Reef, being one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and a United Nations World Heritage Site, is also a huge tourist attraction. It is worth about 6.4 billion U.S. dollars annually compared to $6.9 in our own economy.
Climate change poses two eminent threats to the biodiversity of the Reef. The first is rising ocean temperatures, this can be a direct cause of coral bleaching. The second threat is ocean acidification. This overtime- if it crosses a threshold value- is what dissolves the calcium carbonate that forms the coral reef itself and puts a halt on its ability to grow.
In response to the eminent threats we have permanently banned the disposal of port related capital dredge material in the World Heritage Area. This federal ban was announced at the World Parks Congress during November 2014 and came into effect during 2015. The proposals to place dredge material in the marine park has been reduced from five to zero. Capital dredging will be restricted to the following legislative ports known as Gladstone, Hay Point/Mackay, Abbot Point and Townsville. Also, we have doubled funding to control crown-of-thorns starfish in an act to further protect the corals. New penalties will be created for poaching to provide extra protection for turtles and dugongs. These penalties will increased funding to reduce marine debris.
