State of Great Barrier Reef deemed ‘critical’ for first time

The outlook for the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef, has been determined to be “critical” for the first time, according to a leading conservation agency.

The climate crisis is now the biggest threat to some of the world’s most cherished natural wonders, with 83 of the 252 World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO, the UN’s cultural agency, under threat.

At the Great Barrier Reef, ocean heating, acidification and extreme weather have added to coral decline and shrinking marine species populations, according to World Heritage Outlook published on Wednesday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a coalition that advises UNESCO on natural threats to those sites.

Sixteen natural wonders have deteriorated since the last report three years ago, while only eight improved. The reports track whether the conservation work being done at sites is sufficient to protect them for future generations.