Don’t blame China-Australia row for Great Barrier Reef downgrade threat: Chinese official
- UN heritage committee chairman says recommendation based on Australian reports and data
- Unesco experts says pollution run-off has contributed to a drop in water quality and reef has lost half of its coral since 1995
Deputy education minister Tian Xuejun is chairing this year’s meeting of the United Nations’ cultural agency’s heritage committee, which comes after years of worsening relations between China and Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches 2,300km (1,400 miles), has been put on a list of World Heritage sites that could be put on the in-danger list after losing half of its coral since 1995.
Asked about “Australian government allegations” that Beijing pressed to have the reef listed as endangered, Tian said the decision was based “on reports and data provided by Australia itself”.
“Australia should fulfil its obligations to protect World Heritage sites instead of making baseless accusations against other member states [of Unesco],” he added.
01:40
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef outlook drops to ‘very poor’ amid climate change threat