Australia: UN Recommending Great Barrier Reef Be Listed ‘In Danger’ Is Politically Motivated

Australia: UN Recommending Great Barrier Reef Be Listed ‘In Danger’ Is Politically Motivated
This aerial photo shows the Great Barrier Reef in Australia on Dec. 2, 2017. Kyodo News via AP
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CANBERRA—The Great Barrier Reef should be added to a list of World Heritage Sites that are “in danger,” a United Nations panel said on Tuesday, drawing an angry response from Australia, which called the recommendation politically motivated.

Australia has lobbied furiously for years to stay off the endangered list as it could lead to the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem losing the U.N. heritage status, taking some of the shine off its attraction for tourists.