Outlook for survival of Great Barrier Reef now ‘very poor’

AUSTRALIA’S Great Barrier Reef may lose its world heritage status after its “long-term outlook” was downgraded by the government to “very poor” for the first time.

In its latest five-yearly report on the health of the world’s largest coral reef system, the government’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority singled out rising sea temperatures as the biggest threat to the giant organism.

“Significant and large-scale impacts from record-breaking sea surface temperatures have resulted in coral reef habitat transitioning from poor to very poor condition,” the authority said. “Significant global action to address climate change is critical to slowing deterioration of the reef’s ecosystem.” The agency added that threats to the 1,400mile reef were “multiple, cumulative and increasing” and also included agricultural run-off and coral-eating “crown of thorns” starfish.

It said the downgrade reflected the greater expanse of coral deterioration, notably following “coral bleaching events” caused by sea temperature spikes in 2016 and 2017.

“The window of opportunity to improve the reef ’s long-term future is now,” the authority warned.

The United Nations had asked for an update on the reef ’s health by December so it could determine whether the site could retain its world heritage status when Unesco next considered the issue in 2020. The reef is estimated to be worth £3.3billion a year to the Australian economy.