Great Barrier Reef escapes 'in danger' recommendation ahead of UNESCO World Heritage decision

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australia has been granted another six months to prove it's doing enough to save the Great Barrier Reef. UNESCO has announced the world heritage treasure does not yet belong on the "in danger" list. But it's issued a stark warning the time for action is running out.

Transcript

00:00 An Australian icon has passed its latest health test, with UNESCO again concluding the reef

00:07 doesn't need to be put on the world's in danger list.

00:12 Today's draft decision is a really good decision. It does recognise that there has been good

00:18 progress.

00:19 This includes more federal funding to reduce water pollution and make fisheries more sustainable.

00:25 We are doing everything we possibly can to protect the reef because no one cares more

00:30 about the reef than Australians.

00:32 But UNESCO says the situation is critical, warning this fragile jewel of world heritage

00:38 is still under serious threat and it's calling for urgent and sustained action to improve

00:45 its resilience.

00:46 There's no question that the Great Barrier Reef is in danger from climate change especially.

00:52 We're seeing certainly some improvements with climate change but we're still seeing approvals

00:56 of coal mines in Australia.

00:59 The reef has suffered through four mass coral bleaching events in less than a decade and

01:04 now we're heading into a hotter El Niño summer.

01:08 There is a strong likelihood that we would see a coral bleaching event occurring in the

01:13 early part of next year.

01:14 UNESCO has been threatening a danger label for years. The Morrison government successfully

01:20 lobbied against a listing two years ago and now the Albanese government has avoided one

01:26 too.

01:27 The reef is really a litmus test when it comes to the world's efforts to tackle climate

01:31 change.

01:32 UNESCO has now given the government six months to report back.

01:37 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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