If you haven't
experienced the wonders of the
Great Barrier Reef in Australia
yet, I strongly recommend doing
so as soon as possible. Over the
past three decades, this
planet's largest coral reef
system has
suffered a significant decline,
losing half of its coral cover
due to pollution-induced
starfish outbreaks and alarming
coral bleaching caused by
climate change. In 1981 this
remarkable seascape was declared
a UNESCO World Heritage Area,
but recently the UN has raised
concerns of its sustainability
and thus discussed the
possibility of downgrading the
Great Barrier Reef to an
endangered World Heritage site.
In July 2023, UN scientific
advisors recommended not placing
it on the list of world heritage
sites "in danger," but
emphasized that the coral reef
system remains under serious
threat.
