Earlier this year Australia managed to avoid a Unesco recommendation urging the Great Barrier Reef’s status be moved to “in danger” due to the growing impact of climate change. It was argued that once the Reef is on the list, the decision will be permanent – unless global warming is reversed.
A dozen countries called the move “highly inappropriate” and are pushing to have the reef’s world heritage status review – again.
The Guardian Australia investigates what happened, the criticism Australia faced and what it’ll mean for the Great Barrier Reef: