Hollywood actors, former presidents and leading scientists join calls to save the Great Barrier Reef

World-renowned scientists, royals, former presidents and actors have added their names to a growing chorus of concerned citizens calling on the World Heritage Committee to ensure the Australian government takes the necessary action to protect our Great Barrier Reef.

They endorsed a statement that Australia and the world must act on the climate now while there is still time to save the reef.

The statement says the climate emergency is already evident in the reef, highlighting three serious coral bleaching events in just five years that have caused massive coral mortality.

They say limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 ° C is a critical threshold for the reef and urge Australia – as the guardian of the reef – to implement a national plan compatible with 1.5 ° C. vs.

World-renowned and respected endorsers support UNESCO’s recommendation to the World Heritage Committee to inscribe the reef on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The statement says: “We urge the world’s major emitters to take the most ambitious climate action under the Paris Agreement. There is still time to save the Great Barrier Reef, but Australia and the world must act now.

“We congratulate UNESCO for its leadership. We urge the World Heritage Committee to endorse the UNESCO recommendation.

The statement was organized by the Australian Marine Conservation Society, Australia’s leading marine conservation organization.

AMCS CEO Darren Kindleysides thanked key names who agreed to endorse the statement at short notice.

“The influential signatories to this declaration come from all over the world, showing that worship and concern for our reef is not just for Australians. The reef belongs to the world and, as guardian, Australia must show global leadership on climate action to secure its future. “

This is the latest high-level appeal to the World Heritage Committee to accept UNESCO’s recommendations following public letters from five world-renowned scientists, Australia’s leading environmental non-governmental organizations and of over 50 influential Australians.

The 21-member World Heritage Committee will decide later this week whether to ratify UNESCO’s scientific recommendation to add the reef to the list of “endangered” World Heritage.

The statement can be read here.

The endorsers of the declaration are: