The United Nations has said that the condition of the Great Barrier Reef has deteriorated to such an extent that it should be included in the list of World Heritage Sites in danger.
The Australian government has opposed this, CNN reports.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has recommended that the reef be included in the list, recognizing the climate crisis as a driving factor in the destruction of the world’s largest coral reef.
He called on Australia to address climate change threats as a matter of urgency.
Sussan Ley, Australia’s environment minister, said the government would “strongly oppose” the recommendation.
She added that they were “stunned” by such a statement by UNESCO.
According to her, the Australian government is investing $3 billion in the protection of reefs and will appeal against this decision.
Great Barrier Reef and climate change
The Great Barrier Reef, which covers an area of almost 345,000 km2 and is home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 411 species of hard coral, is vital to the marine ecosystem.
According to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, it also contributes $ 4.8 billion annually to Australia’s economy and maintains 64,000 jobs.
In 1995, due to sea warming, the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem lost more than half of its coral.
And in 2015 it suffered from three devastating mass discolorations caused by high ocean temperatures.
As a result of further climate change, all coral reefs in the world’s oceans may disappear by 2100.
