New study shows Australia guilty of the world’s largest downgrading of a marine national park

[UngulateNerd92]

When vast sections of the Coral Sea Marine Park were opened up to commercial fishing in 2018 it was the largest downgrading of a protected area in history, according to a new study.

The paper, published in Marine Policy journal, says the downgrading of the Coral Sea Marine Park impacted more than 740,000 square kilometres, three quarters of the park’s total area.

It didn’t end there with Australia revealed by the research to be a global hotspot for the downgrading of marine protected areas.

Legal changes that temper, reduce, or eliminate protected areas are known as protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement (PADDD) events.

New study shows Australia guilty of the world’s largest downgrading of a marine national park

 

[Terry Thomas]

Many of our leaders seem to have no idea that conservation, climate change etc., etc., are important to the future of both the country and the world. Money is really all that matters!

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Many of our leaders seem to have no idea that conservation, climate change etc., etc., are important to the future of both the country and the world. Money is really all that matters!

That is quite unfortunate! What this situation reminds me of is one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Guy McPherson, an American scientist and professor emeritus of natural resources, ecology, and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona.

He said;

"If you really think the environment is less important than the economy try holding your breath while you count your money."

That is absolutely spot on!