Pollution Threats Stall Australia Rock Art UNESCO Bid

Australia's bid to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, home to the world's oldest and largest collection of Indigenous rock art, has been challenged due to threats from nearby industrial pollution. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) advised UNESCO to send the nomination back to the Australian government, urging it to prevent further industrial development near the site and to implement a decommissioning and rehabilitation plan for existing industrial activities. The Burrup Peninsula, where the rock art is located, is a significant industrial hub hosting gas plants operated by Woodside and fertilizer and explosives plants by Yara International. The Australian government recently extended the operation of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project until 2070, which is expected to produce billions of tons of additional carbon emissions, heightening concerns about environmental damage to the petroglyphs. Despite Australian authorities claiming the rock art is in good condition and unaffected by acid rain, ICOMOS and rock art experts warn that industrial acidic emissions pose a severe threat to the preservation of these culturally and spiritually significant sites. Indigenous leaders, including Mark Clifton and Raelene Cooper, continue to protest against the industrial expansion, emphasizing the rock art's importance as a repository of ancient knowledge and heritage at risk of irreversible damage.