By GetUp!
Amazingly 74,938 people signed the petition to save the Great Barrier Reef. Lincoln has delivered it to the UNESCO head offices in Paris - your voice is being heard!
Lincoln is a a GetUp member who now lives in Paris. Lincoln grew up in Adelaide but moved to Tasmania in 1982 to take up the fight to save the Franklin River. He ran The Wilderness Society's legal campaign which ultimately saw a High Court Victory which resulted in the Franklin River being saved. Like the Great Barrier Reef, the Franklin River now has World Heritage status.
Like many people Lincoln rightly thought that the Great Barrier Reef was safe for all time following its protection and was shocked to hear that dredging is now occurring within the World Heritage Area - damaging an already fragile ecosystem.
That is what motivated him to take action on your behalf. Earlier this week he toured the World Heritage sites along the Banks of the River Seine in Paris, including the Notre Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower and Louvre museum, with a representation of the petition you signed.
It was a creative way to make the point that it would be unthinkable to damage those World Heritage sites, yet here in Australia our government is allowing it to occur.
Lincoln then met with senior UNESCO staff to explain how significant the Great Barrier Reef is to Australians and that our community is hoping that UNESCO can step in and stop the dredging of the World Heritage Area.
Click here to read how it went and see more photos!
"I’m thrilled that so many GetUp members signed the petition and feel as passionate as I do about the importance of protecting the Great Barrier Reef from overdevelopment. It’s rekindled my links with the country I love so much." - Lincoln.
Stay tuned for next steps on this campaign in 2012.
Thanks for all you do,
Justine, for the GetUp team.
GetUp! have put together a video wrapping up some of the highlights of their actions this year. Click here to view.
