UN body expresses surprise that the government did not inform it of its upcoming decision on expansion of coalport

The United Nations body responsible for world heritage has said the Australian government has not informed it of plans to create one of the world's largest coalports adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef and should put development on hold.

Marc Patry, programme specialist at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, told Guardian Australia that a letter was sent to the government on Thursday asking for more information on proposed dredging to expand the Abbot Point site.

It is expected that Mark Butler, the environment minister, will announce on Friday whether he will allow for 3m cubic metres of seabed to be dredged and dumped to allow a doubling of the capacity of Abbot Point.

The port, which sits north-west of the Queensland town of Bowen, now ships nearly 2m tonnes of coal a month. Environmentalists say further development would severely damage the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

Patry said he was surprised the government had not told the World Heritage Centre of Butler's upcoming decision, a situation that is similar to the non-communication of dredging at Gladstone.

"I would say yes [I am surprised] as we had discussions with the Australian government before this happened," he said. "The development at Gladstone went ahead and we were not informed in time.

"Generally speaking it's the procedure that we are told about big projects so we can ascertain the impact on the site, but we haven't heard anything from the government, as far as I understand.

"We sent a letter yesterday to the Australian government to ask for information on the issue. They should know we are watching and curious to see what is happening, to ask if there has been an environmental impact statement and to remind them of the World Heritage meeting in June."

Patry is referring to the World Heritage committee gathering in Cambodia, which warned that the Great Barrier Reef would be listed as 'in danger' next year unless Australia met targets to not build new ports and to minimise expansion of existing ports.

"The best way forward is dialogue here," Patry said. "We have asked for new information but we won't be flying out for a visit. The best bet, I would say, is for the decision on the dredging to be postponed while the impacts of it are assessed.

"Digging a hole anywhere, on land or sea, never has zero impact. The question is whether this dredging would impact on the values the reef is recognised for. We just don't know at this stage."

According to Patry, it is unlikely that the committee would decide to fast-track the reef's 'in danger' listing.

"There are exceptional circumstances where this could happen, but World Heritage is a collegial body of governments, where information is shared by governments and we get to the facts. If we feel there has been a contravention of the values, we will certainly raise this with the Australian government and ask that it not go ahead.

"We trust the information the Australian government gives us. The Great Barrier Reef is a star World Heritage site and we are always concerned about the welfare of the wildlife there."

While conservationists say that increased development and shipping on the reef would damage its vast coral ecosystem, as well as animals such as sea turtles, dolphins and dugongs, supporters of the Abbot Point site argue that it will bring vast economic benefits.

Polling has showed that the majority of residents on the Queensland coast are against dredged waste being dumped within the Great Barrier Reef marine park, although some MPs and parliamentary candidates have come out in favour of the idea. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/17/coalition-candidate-barrier-reef-dumping