Australia must step up its efforts to prevent the Great Barrier Reef from being listed as an 'in danger' World Heritage site.

This is the conclusion of the report, released on Monday, by two experts from UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on the degradation of the site due to global warming and various pollution.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's top tourist attractions.

Its inclusion on the list of “in danger” sites could considerably tarnish its appeal to visitors.

The reef generates 600,000 jobs and 3.9 billion euros in revenue each year, according to the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

A reprieve without effect

Unesco sounded the alarm about the future of the Great Barrier Reef for the first time in 2010. In July 2021, the World Heritage Committee almost placed the site on the list of places “in danger”.

After intense lobbying from Australia, Committee members finally felt that Canberra needed more time to take stock of its conservation efforts.

Despite Australia's "unprecedented scientific and management efforts in recent years", "the Outstanding Universal Value of the area is significantly affected by climate change drivers", according to the new report.

The resistance and resilience capacity of the site is “substantially compromised”.

The worrying situation is notably due to the degradation of water quality.

All the measures and projects to deal with it "lack clear objectives" and "are not fully implemented", deplore the experts in the report, for whom the reduction of pollutants in water (nitrates and phosphates ) should accelerate.

A “narrow but existing” path to save the Great Barrier Reef

The Australian Minister for the Environment admitted on Tuesday that the reef was threatened but considers that its classification "in danger" is a step too far.

“We will make it clear to Unesco that there is no need to single out the Great Barrier Reef in this way,” Tanya Plibersek said.

“If this site is in danger, then most World Heritage sites are in danger from climate change.

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According to marine biologist Jodie Rummer, the new report shows Australia still has work to do.

“Our action now will determine the frequency and severity of marine heat waves that the reef will face in years to come,” she said.

In May, Australian scientists reported that 91% of corals had been damaged by bleaching after a prolonged summer heat wave.



"There is a narrow path, but it does exist, to save the Great Barrier," noted a source familiar with the matter.

“Strong measures taken quickly can produce their effects.

This report is a roadmap proposed to the Australian authorities who will have to say what they are doing with it and above all show results.

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