Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef Nita Green plans to make sure it isn’t listed as endangered

Labor senator outlines plans to ensure natural wonder is kept off the UNESCO hit list after being appointed special Reef envoy.

LABOR senator Nita Green is on a mission to make sure the Reef is not listed as endangered after she was appointed the new Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday.

Ms Green said the Labor government would have a different focus.

“I certainly think we need to do what we can do address climate change,” she said.

“First and foremost, our government is taking a different approach to dealing with climate change. We know it is the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef.

“Investing in renewable energy is such an important part of what our government is doing.

“Our powering Australia plan will reduce emissions. We need to reduce emissions to protect the Great Barrier Reef. The more renewable energy the lower our emission will be.”

Ms Green said there was a lot of work to be done to ensure the reef was not given UNESCO endangered status.

“Nobody wants to see an endangered listing because it will have a detrimental impact to the economy in Queensland,” she said.

“There is a lot of work to be done. I will sit down with Tanya Plibersek, our new Environment Minister and make sure the new government has a plan to try and prevent UNESCO making a listing of the Reef.”

Fitzroy Island resort is situated in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Picture: Brendan Radke

While Ms Green said there was a lot of graft to be done, she wanted to work with operators to ensure many visitors still got to enjoy the region.

“I look forward to working with local stakeholders like our tourism operators, our conservation groups, our primary producers, people working in and around the Reef, people whose jobs rely on the Reef,” she said.

“I want as many people to come to visit the Reef, once you see the Reef you want to protect it.”

Originally published as Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef Nita Green plans to make sure it isn’t listed as endangered