The Great Barrier Reef has never been at such a crucial turning point. Now, after a six-month alert, the World Heritage Committee has threatened to list it as “in danger.” This alert comes after the reef has lost half of its coral cover over the past 30 years, raising alarms about its long-term viability. At a hearing earlier this month, the committee made clear their displeasure. They focused on the reef’s struggle to survive in a warming world and the impacts of mass coral bleaching.
The Great Barrier Reef has now suffered four widespread bleaching events since 2016. Most remarkably, the greatest extent of bleaching ever recorded happened in 2022 – despite that being the expected outcome from a typically cooler La Niña phase. This distressing trend is a clear sign that our ocean ecosystem is becoming more susceptible to escalating water temperatures and other environmental stressors. The UN body announced that the long-term outlook for the reef is “very poor” in a draft decision. This really drives home the urgent need to do something.
Australia is at a critical moment right now, with yet another alarm bell being sounded for the reef’s fragile condition. The country is given six months to take corrective action to try to prevent the listing of the site as “in-danger” by UNESCO. Environmentalists are up in arms about what they consider recent backroom deals. They worry that the federal government’s recent approval of a 40-year extension for a nearby gas facility will undermine local leadership in protecting the reef.
Coral Loss and Climate Concerns
Just the last three decades alone have seen the Great Barrier Reef lose half its coral cover. This shocking figure is a clear sign of the deteriorating health of the reef. This was an unprecedented loss, and the World Heritage Committee recognized this loss. Importantly, they noted the immediate effects of climate change, particularly the increase in ocean temperatures.
With projections indicating that global warming may exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius, experts warn that up to 90 percent of all coral reefs—including the Great Barrier Reef—could be lost. This startling prediction underscores the urgent necessity to act now to reduce climate change and safeguard sensitive ecosystems.
“Whilst recent recovery in some parts of the ecosystem, including improvements in coral cover and seagrass meadows, is encouraging and demonstrates the Reef retains resilience, the Outlook Report concludes that the capacity of the reef to tolerate and recover is being compromised by a rapidly changing climate.” – UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee
Australia’s Response and Future Actions
By February 2026, the country must report again to UNESCO, in detail, on the state of the Great Barrier Reef. Our next report will feature coverage of the “full impacts” of a third mass coral bleaching event that’s projected to occur in 2024. The World Heritage Committee is expected to add the Great Barrier Reef to its list of “in danger” sites when it meets at the committee’s 48th session next year. That’s going to be the case unless there are major improvements by then.
A spokesperson for Environment Minister Murray Watt stated, “We welcome the recognition of Australia’s efforts to improve water quality, support and partner with Reef Traditional Owners, deliver sustainable fisheries management and increase the Reef’s resilience to climate change.” Critics say those efforts fall short, considering where things stand today and the persisting threats faced by the reef.
Environmentalists Call for Immediate Action
Environmental advocates are calling on regulators to take more immediate action to prevent the Great Barrier Reef from continuing to deteriorate. They emphasize that the recent approval of extended gas operations undermines conservation efforts and poses additional risks to the reef’s health.
Greens leader Larissa Waters expressed a sense of urgency regarding the situation, stating, “This has to be the last chance to take action to protect the reef and the jobs that rely upon it from climate ruin.” Her statement echoes a growing bipartisan, millennial frustration with prioritizing short-term economic gain at the expense of our natural heritage.
