Australia, on Friday, avoided having the Great Barrier Reef listed as an endangered world heritage site by UNESCO, despite extensive climate change-spurred damage to the ecosystem’s corals.
Climate Council spokesman Will Steffen says Australia must stop censoring science, and start taking the steps required to help protect the reef.
UNESCO has accused Australia of failing to meet key water quality and land management targets, while also taking aim at the country’s conservative government for its lacklustre climate efforts.