Julie Bishop and Josh Frydenburg are in Cairns today to announce a half billion funding package for the reef.
Most of the funds are going to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, and are slated for improving water quality, controlling Crown of Thorns outbreaks and research.
Bill McKibben, 350 founder, has criticised the funding package, saying “Science is well aware of what is killing coral on the great barrier reef.
It’s the excess heat that comes from burning fossil fuels.
If the Turnbull government were serious about saving the reef then they would be willing to take on the industry responsible for the damage.
To simultaneously promote the world’s largest coal mine while pretending to care about the world’s largest reef is an acrobatic feat only cynical politicians would attempt.”
McKibben is out at Opal Reef today with Stop Adani Cairns and 350 Australia.
Spokesperson for Stop Adani Cairns, with Mr McKibben on the reef today, said “In order to protect our beautiful reef we need to stop paying enormous subsidies to the big polluters – coal oil and gas industries.
No amount of research will save the reef from acidification and warming water.
We need to address the problem at its source by phasing out existing coal, super charging renewable energy projects and stopping the Adani mine.”
