---
title: Australian government causes more grief for the Reef with “highly inappropriate” block against danger listing
description: Australia’s attempts to block UNESCO listing the Reef as a World Heritage site “in danger” has yet again put the country out of step on the global stage.
---

[![Greenpeace](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png?width=2259&height=348&name=GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png "Greenpeace")](https://www.greenpeace.org.au)

[![Canopy Logo](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/hubfs/raw_assets/public/gpap-main-theme/images/the-canopy/the-canopy-logo.png)](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy)

The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

# Australian government causes more grief for the Reef with “highly inappropriate” block against danger listing

Wednesday, 1 December 2021

Australia’s attempts to block UNESCO listing the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage site “in danger” has yet again put the country out of step on the global stage, with a dozen nations opposing Australia’s “highly inappropriate” move to delay the listing.

The Conservation Council of WA has launched a second legal action against Woodside’s $16 billion Scarborough to Pluto LNG project, which the corporate giant says it will “vigorously defend.”

The vehicle emissions standard will be formally dropped as Labor leader Anthony Albanese signs off on the party’s climate policy ahead of its anticipated release next Monday. 

[Australia accused of trying to block Unesco process that could put Great Barrier Reef in danger list](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/30/australia-tries-to-pause-unesco-process-that-can-force-climate-action-to-protect-great-barrier-reef)

A dozen countries have accused the Australian government of trying to hit pause on a process that could still lead to the Great Barrier Reef being placed on a list of world heritage sites “in danger”.

[Woodside to ‘vigorously defend’ second WA Supreme Court challenge to $16b Scarborough project](https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/woodside-to-vigourously-defend-second-wa-supreme-court-challenge-to-its-16b-scarborough-project-20211130-p59dj9.html)

Environmentalists have launched a second legal action against the Scarborough to Pluto LNG project adding to uncertainty about its construction a week after Woodside approved the $16 billion investment.

[Labor to dump fuel emissions plan in next step on climate](https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/labor-to-dump-fuel-emissions-plan-in-next-step-on-climate-20211130-p59dkj.html)

Labor will dump a contentious plan to set new fuel standards for millions of motorists in a bid to neutralise a growing political attack from Prime Minister Scott Morrison ahead of a bigger fight on climate change.

[Emissions rise 2% in Australia amid increased pollution from electricity and transport](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/30/emissions-rise-2-in-australia-amid-increased-pollution-from-electricity-and-transport)

While greenhouse emissions were stable over the year, an uptick in the June quarter shows pollution is not in decline despite Australia’s net zero by 2050 pledge.

[CSIRO in race with Dutch corporate giant DSM to get low emissions cattle feed to market](https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-11-30/competing-royal-dsm-csiro-technology-to-reduce-cattle-emissions/100650618)

The race is on to commercialise a product that will significantly reduce methane emissions in cattle around the world, and Australia's CSIRO is seeking to beat Dutch corporate giant DSM to the punch.

[Reef](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/reef), [gas](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/gas), [energy policy](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/energy-policy), [climate change](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-change)

### Will you share with your friends?

[Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/australian-government-causes-more-grief-for-the-reef-with-highly-inappropriate-block-against-danger-listing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [Share on Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Check%20out%20this%20thing%20from%20Greenpeace!%20https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/australian-government-causes-more-grief-for-the-reef-with-highly-inappropriate-block-against-danger-listing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dwhatsapp) [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/australian-government-causes-more-grief-for-the-reef-with-highly-inappropriate-block-against-danger-listing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/australian-government-causes-more-grief-for-the-reef-with-highly-inappropriate-block-against-danger-listing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) 

[Go to the website](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)

## More news

### [States ranked in race for green transport](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/states-ranked-in-race-for-green-transport)

Australia's capital is winning the clean transport race in the country, with the ACT a clear...

### [Coal boss turning off coal](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/coal-boss-turning-off-coal)

On the day Origin Energy lost more than $2.3 billion, the company's CEO has declared that baseload...

### [Emissions are down, no thanks to the Federal Government](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/emissions-are-down-no-thanks-to-the-federal-government)

Australia’s latest quarterly emissions data is out - emissions have dropped as coal is squeezed out...

Work like this is only made possible by our supporters. Greenpeace accepts NO government funding or corporate donations to remain impartial. To amplify meaningful climate activism in Australia, ***become a regular giver today.***

[Donate to Support Greenpeace](https://donate.greenpeace.org.au/)

[![Greenpeace](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png?width=2259&height=348&name=GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png "Greenpeace")](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)

Connect with us <https://www.facebook.com/greenpeaceaustraliapacific/> <https://twitter.com/greenpeaceap?lang=en> <https://www.youtube.com/user/GreenpeaceAustralia> <https://www.instagram.com/greenpeaceap/>

**Call:** [1800 815 151](tel:1800815151)

 Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past, present and future — and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia, the environmental movement and the Greenpeace crew.

© Greenpeace 2026. [Privacy Policy.](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/privacy-policy/)