Australia has drawn a line around half its ocean. What happens inside it?

Résumé détaillé

A world leader in marine protection, Australia still faces questions over what's happening beneath the surface.

Australia leads most countries in protecting its oceans, with more than half (52 per cent) of its marine territory now under protection.

The achievement puts Australia well ahead of the global ocean target to protect 30 per cent of the world's land and oceans by 2030, a historic pledge made in 2022 at the United Nations' 15th biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada.

But with just four years left to meet that commitment, experts say questions remain over whether Australia's protected waters are delivering meaningful conservation outcomes.

The challenge was among those discussed at the 17th UN biodiversity conference (COP 17), where government officials, scientists and environmental advocates from 196 countries gathered in Yerevan, Armenia in October. For two weeks, the delegates assessed global progress towards the 30x30 target.

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

The outlook was concerning, according to the 2026 Ocean Protection Gap report: at the current rate, the world is projected to protect just 12 per cent of its oceans by 2030.

In Armenia, Australian advocates said the country's progress presented an opportunity to take a leading role in global ocean conservation, but warned more work was needed both at home and internationally.

Their calls come as Australia takes on a prominent role at COP31 in Türkiye, where ocean protection is gaining greater attention on the global climate agenda.

Australia is a marine nation, with an ocean territory that far exceeds its landmass.

Début de l'article, extrait de SBS News. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.