Environmental groups have set their sights on McDonald's in the United States, accusing the fast-food giant of contributing to deforestation that is allegedly destroying the Great Barrier Reef. The campaign, led by the green advocacy network Mighty Earth, targeted an awards ceremony for McDonald's in Las Vegas over the weekend. Electronic billboards displayed the iconic McDonald's 'M' made out of dead coral, with the slogan: 'Australia's Great Barrier Reef. I'm killin' it.'
Campaign Highlights Links Between Beef and Reef Damage
Nathaniel Pelle, a campaigner from the Australian Conservation Foundation, urged the Australian government to accelerate its 2030 deforestation target, which would ensure that beef sourced for McDonald's comes from properties verified as deforestation-free. 'Australian beef finds its way into 70 per cent of McDonald's restaurants globally, a lot of it from the Great Barrier Reef catchment, so there is a strong chance there are Big Macs out there that can be linked to deforestation that is damaging the reef,' he said. 'It's positive that McDonald's has a deforestation commitment and is prioritising Australia, but it should take deforestation off the menu well before 2030 to save the reef.'
McDonald's Deforestation Policy Under Scrutiny
Australia is considered a high-priority country, alongside beef giants Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, in McDonald's deforestation-free beef procurement policy. McDonald's stated in its beef procurement policy that it has worked with producer groups over several years to 'better understand and address the links and drivers between beef production, deforestation and conversion.' The company noted that suppliers provide information annually and that tailored feedback is given to strengthen collaboration to eliminate deforestation. 'We are currently evaluating options to enhance our risk assessment work in Australia, given the unique environment,' the policy stated. McDonald's Australia has been contacted for comment.
UNESCO Meeting Looms
The campaign comes as the Great Barrier Reef is expected to be on the agenda of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee meeting in Korea next month. Last month, five leading Australian environmental groups wrote to the United Nations urging greater scrutiny of Australia's pledged actions on deforestation in catchment areas for the reef. Experts warn that deforestation can lead to hard sediment and toxic pesticides flowing into the world-famous site, suffocating coral.
Government Response and Reforms
Under reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, the Albanese government has sought to restrict land clearing within 50 meters of waterways leading into reef catchments to those with federal approval. In an earlier statement, Environment Minister Murray Watt said the government was committed to supporting the reef, with almost $4 billion invested by the federal government since 2014-15. 'This is a change that the environmental groups who have sent this letter to UNESCO had been calling for, for many years,' Mr. Watt said. The rule change is expected to 'support further improvements for the quality of water flowing to the reef.'
