Bleached and dead coral around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, located 270 kilometers (167 miles) north of the city of Cairns are seen in this photo, April 5, 2024. AFP-Yonhap
SYDNEY — Australia's Great Barrier Reef, a major tourism drawcard, has avoided being listed as endangered despite the United Nations reporting "utmost concern" about mass coral bleaching and the impact of climate change.
Canberra welcomed the draft decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Saturday, to maintain the World Heritage status of the 2,300-kilometre-long (1,426-mile) reef stretching along the coast of Queensland state.
UNESCO has been monitoring the reef annually since 2021, when it warned it was at risk of being placed on the list of World Heritage items "in danger."
The UN agency said in its draft report, released in Paris, Friday, that Australia was working towards addressing concerns over climate change, water quality, sustainable fisheries management and land clearing.
