UNESCO Notifies Australian Gov. That GB Reef May Be Listed As "Endangered" World Heritage Site
he United Nations has put the Queensland and federal governments on notice that the Great Barrier Reef could be added to a list of endangered world heritage sites.
In a draft decision released Friday night, expected to be adopted when UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee meets in Cambodia next month, it will be recommended the Great Barrier Reef be included in the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2014 ‘‘in the absence of a firm and demonstrable commitment’’ from the state and federal governments to take action.
That action included halting coastal development project that could impact the ‘‘outstanding universal value’’ of the site.
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Queensland Greens Senator Larissa Waters said it was worrying that Australia was on the brink of joining the ‘‘list of shame’’ as a country that could not manage its world heritage sites. ‘‘Australia would be the only developed country in the world to have a world heritage site on endangered list. It would be a huge international embarrassment and it would be a big blow to our tourism industry,’’ she said.
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http://www.smh.com.au/environment/un-plans-to-list-reef-as-endangered-20130504-2izkq.html
