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world news Diasabra 24 Juli 2021
Australia avoids UNESCO downgrade of Great Barrier Reef

(AP) — Australia on Friday “Delegates, we ask only two
garnered enough inter- things: time for experts to see
national support to defer first hand our commitment
for two years an attempt to the reef, its present con-
by the United Nations’ dition and our management,
cultural organization to and for the final climate pol-
downgrade the Great Bar- icy to provide a consistent
rier Reef ’s World Heritage framework for addressing the
status because of damage impacts of climate change on
caused by climate change. all World Heritage proper-
ties,” she said from Australia,
UNESCO had recommend- where she in in quarantine
ed that its World Heritage after lobbying delegates in
Committee add the world’s Europe and the Middle East
largest coral reef ecosystem on the decision.
off the northeast Australian
coast to the World Heritage In 2014, Australia was warned
in Danger list, mainly due to that an “in danger” listing Clearly there were politics and are urgent to secure the
rising ocean temperatures. was being considered rather behind it,” Ley said at the outstanding universal value China’s representative said
than being proposed for im- time. of the Great Barrier Reef for during the debate that his na-
But Australian-proposed mediate action. present and for future gen- tion “supports the emerging
amendments to the draft de- Many in Australia’s conser- erations,” Douvere said. consensus” to defer the “in
cision at a committee meet- Australia had time to respond vative government saw the danger” question.
ing in China on Friday de- by developing a long-term move as an attempt to pres- Greenpeace said in a state-
ferred the “in danger” ques- plan to improve the reef’s sure it into committing to ment that the committee Before the committee’s rul-
tion until 2023. health called the Reef 2050 reducing the nation’s green- had missed an opportunity ing, Jodie Rummer, a re-
Plan. house gas emissions to zero to shine a light on Australia’s search fellow at the Austra-
In the meantime, a monitor- by 2050 and to stop allowing neglect of a natural wonder. lian Research Council Center
ing mission will visit the reef Since then, the reef has suf- coal mines to be expanded. of Excellence for Coral Reef
to determine how the im- fered significantly from coral The Chinese host of the Studies, said the “in danger”
pact of climate change can be bleaching caused by unusual- In arguing for the reef’s committee meeting in the designation was needed to
managed. ly warm ocean temperatures downgrade, UNESCO city of Fuzhou this week de- get Australia to act on climate
in 2016, 2017 and last year. World Heritage Center’s ma- fended the proposed “in dan- change.
Representatives of 16 of the The bleaching damaged two rine program coordinator, ger” listing against Australian
21 committee nations apart thirds of the coral. Fanny Douvere, referred to government suspicion that “I think that’s the wake-up
from Australia spoke in favor the Intergovernmental Panel China influenced the finding call that we need here in Aus-
of the amendments before Australia reacted angrily last on Climate Change’s con- for political reasons. tralia, very much so,” Rum-
the committee accepted the month when the draft de- clusion that global emissions mer said. “It’s the wake-up
position without a vote. Only cision was published to re- needed to fall to zero by 2050 “Australia, as a member state call that we need to cut our
Norway argued for the reef move the network of 2,500 to limit global warming to 1.5 of the World Heritage Com- emissions and commit to net
to be listed “in danger.” The reefs covering 348,000 square degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees mittee, should ... attach im- zero. It’s the wake-up call
committee usually makes kilometers (134,000 square Fahrenheit). portance to the opinions that we need to really put that
consensus decisions. miles) from the World Heri- of the advisory bodies and spotlight on the Great Barrier
tage list it joined 40 years ago “Accelerated action on cli- earnestly fulfill the duty of Reef.”
Australian Environment for its “outstanding universal mate change on all possible World Heritage protection
Minister Sussan Ley told the value.” The “in danger” list- levels, in accordance with the instead of making ground- The deferral sidelines Austra-
virtual meeting that down- ing is one step away from los- 1.5 degree target under the less accusations against other lia’s management of the reef
grading the reef’s status be- ing all World Heritage stand- Paris Agreement for Climate states,” said Tian Xuejun, the as an issue at elections due
fore the committee had final- ing. Change, and the recovery Chinese vice minister of ed- by May next year at which
ized its own climate change of the property from poor ucation and the president of the government will seek a
policy made no sense. “This decision was flawed. water quality are both vital this year’s session. fourth three-year term.
Germany toughens rules for travel from Spain, Netherlands

Tuesday. incidence areas” can avoid nant. On Friday, the infection
quarantine if they can prove rate stood at 13.2.
The change of status in the that they are fully vaccinat-
middle of the summer travel ed or have recovered from Chancellor Angela Merkel
season will inconvenience COVID-19. Others can cut said Thursday that the fig-
some people traveling from short the 10-day quarantine ures are rising with “wor-
Spain, a hugely popular by testing negative after five rying momentum” and “we
tourist destination for Ger- days. have exponential growth.”
mans, and likely put off more
would-be vacationers. Portugal, Cyprus and Britain After the pace of vaccinations
are already listed as “high- slowed in recent weeks, she
Spain and the Netherlands incidence areas.” appealed to reluctant citizens
were already on a list of “risk to get vaccinated and urged
areas,” the lowest of Germa- Germany’s infection rate re- compatriots who are more
ny’s three COVID-19 risk mains very low compared enthusiastic to help persuade
categories, but that had bare- with some other European others.
(AP) — Germany is list- into quarantine from next ly any practical effect since countries. But it has been ris-
ing Spain and the Nether- week. anyone arriving from such ing steadily since it bottomed As of Thursday, 60.6% of the
lands as “high-incidence areas can avoid quarantine out at 4.9 new weekly cases German population had re-
areas,” meaning that most The national disease control by proving they have tested per 100,000 residents on July ceived at least one shot and
people arriving from those center, the Robert Koch In- negative. 6. The rise is being fueled by 48.5% were fully vaccinated.
countries who aren’t fully stitute, said Friday that the the more contagious delta
vaccinated will have to go change will take effect on People arriving from “high- variant, which is now domi-