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☆ Australia’s Great Barrier Reef suffers ‘extensive’ coral bleaching, as scientists fear seventh mass bleaching event
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The southern Great Barrier Reef is suffering from extensive coral bleaching due to heat stress, the reef’s managers said Wednesday, raising fears that a seventh mass bleaching event could be unfolding across the vast, ecologically important site. Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket/Getty ImagesThe Great Barrier Reef’s managers plan to extend aerial and in-water surveys across the entire reef over the coming weeks. Hotter ocean temperatures caused severe mass bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef in 2016, 2017 and 2020. Last year, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided not to add the Great Barrier Reef to its list of sites “in danger,” despite scientific evidence suggesting the risk of another mass bleaching event. Greenpeace’s Ritter said that following the decision, “the Australian government promised to do everything it can to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Persons: Mark Read, Elliot, Jonas Gratzer, ”, Neal Cantin, Maya Srinivasan, ” Srinivasan, ” David Ritter, “, ” Ove Hoegh, Greenpeace’s Ritter Organizations: CNN, Park Authority, Australian Institute of Marine Science, El, James Cook University, Marine Park Authority, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Foundation, Oceanic, UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Labor Locations: Keppel, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, Cairns, Florida, Caribbean

☆ Sub-Saharan Africa just hit 100 World Heritage Sites. UNESCO says that’s not enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

At the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in September, UNESCO announced five new locations had joined the list of World Heritage Sites, taking sub-Saharan Africa’s total over 100 for the first time. Rwanda’s first two World Heritage Sites were named among 42 new entries worldwide. Vegetation in Rwasenkoko, Nyungwe National Park, one or Rwanda's two new UNESCO World Heritage Sites. CNLG/Courtesy UNESCOThere are currently 1,199 World Heritage sites, benefitting from the conservation agreements and tourism that come with that status. One is that some nations were slow to ratify the 1972 World Heritage convention, allowing them to submit applications for World Heritage status.

Persons: CNN —, Rwanda’s, Bale, Vande weghe, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, There’s, ”, Eloundou Assomo, –, Yonas, Assomo, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, World Heritage Committee, UNESCO, Heritage, World, Getty, “, World Heritage Fund Locations: Nyamata, Eastern, Odzala, Republic of Congo, Saharan Africa, Africa, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea, Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome, Principe , Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Rwasenkoko, Gisozi, Rwanda, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Uganda, Buganda, Kasubi, Kampala, Ethiopia, Bissagos

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A U.S. agency said Friday it will nominate the vast, federally protected wildlife refuge in the Okefenokee Swamp for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Okefenokee refuge covers more than 90% of the swamp and is the largest national wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River. Designation as a World Heritage site wouldn't impose any added restrictions or regulations for the Okefenokee. Ossoff said a World Heritage site designation would have both environmental and economic benefits for the Okefenokee and surrounding Georgia communities. Conservationists sounded doubtful that the World Heritage site nomination would directly affect the decisions of Georgia regulators.

Persons: Kim Bednarek, ”, Elise Bennett, It’s, Buddy Carter, Democratic Sen, Jon Ossoff, Ossoff, Deb Haaland, “ They’re, Ben Prater, Bednarek Organizations: —, UNESCO, National Park Service, U.S, of Liberty, UNESCO's World, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, Center for Biological Diversity, Fish and Wildlife Service, Republican, Democratic, U.S . Interior Department, Twin Pines Minerals, of Wildlife Locations: SAVANNAH, Ga, U.S, Washington, Georgia, Florida, blackwater, Yellowstone, Yosemite, ”, Arizona, of, Ohio, Mississippi, Caribbean, Twin Pines

☆ World War One cemeteries, Rwanda genocide sites, Argentine torture center declared UNESCO World Heritage
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Geert De Clercq | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

So far, the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Japan have been the only memorial sites inscribed on the United Nation's cultural agency's closely watched World Heritage list. At a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, UNESCO member states agreed to add the World War One and Rwanda sites to the list, after adding the Argentina torture memorial on Tuesday. The World War One sites encompass a series of military cemeteries, battlefield burial grounds and memorials between the north of Belgium and the east of France. The 139 sites trace the outline of World War One's Western Front and hold the remains of tens of thousands of soldiers of several nationalities. The World Heritage Committee's annual meeting ends on Monday.

Persons: Rima Abdul, Malak, Geert De Clercq, Leslie Adler Organizations: Navy Mechanics School, UNESCO, Memorial, United, UNESCO World Heritage, Wednesday, Twa, ESMA, Navy School of Mechanics, Thomson Locations: Argentina's, PARIS, Belgium, France, Argentina, UN, Auschwitz, Poland, Hiroshima, Japan, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Europe, Buenos Aires, UNESCO

The Old City of Jerusalem and its walls were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981, but UNESCO doesn't list it under Israel or Palestine. Whereas other sites are listed by country, UNESCO lists the site separately, under "Jerusalem (Site proposed by Jordan)." Source: Screenshot from UNESCOIsrael, which joined UNESCO in 1949, has nine sites named to the list, including Masada, the Old City of Acre and the "White City" of Tel Aviv. A backdrop of political alliancesUNESCO's decision to add Tell es-Sultan/Jericho to its World Heritage Site has angered Israeli officials, with Israel's foreign ministry releasing a statement Sunday calling it a "cynical" ploy by the Palestinians to politicize UNESCO. Kyiv's Saint Sophia Cathedral is now on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.

Persons: Archivio J, Lange, De Agostini, Mounir, Jordan, Masada, Anastas, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv's, Kyiv's Saint Sophia, Pollex Organizations: UNESCO, Getty, Bank, Saudi Press Agency, The, City of, UNESCO Israel, politicize UNESCO, Saudi, U.S, Biden, United, UNESCO —, World, Saint Locations: Jericho, Palestine, Old City, Jerusalem, City, City of Jerusalem, Israel, Acre, Tel Aviv, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Mecca, Medina, Saudi, United States, Ukraine, Lavra, Kyiv, Pechersk, Lviv, Kyiv's Saint

☆ Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks: Historic Ohio landmark inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A huge prehistoric structure in Ohio has become the 25th US landmark to be awarded a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Historic siteNational Archaeological Park Tak’alik Ab’aj in Guatemala has also been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. “This inscription on the World Heritage List highlights the important work of American archaeologists, who discovered here remains dating back 2,000 years, constituting one of the largest earthwork constructions in the world. J.B. Barret/DEAL Martinique/Courtesy UNESCO World Heritage Nomination OfficeEstablished in 1978, the World Heritage List has inscribed well over 1,000 sites of “outstanding universal value” in the more than four decades since then. Only countries that sign the convention creating the World Heritage Committee and list can nominate sites.

Persons: ”, “, Audrey Azoulay, Israel, Frank Lloyd Wright, Solomon, Pelée, J.B . Barret, Ethiopia’s Bale, Cambodia’s Koh, CNN’s Francesca Street, Marnie Hunter Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage, US, Guggenheim Museum, Heritage, Kazan Federal University Locations: Ohio, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Hopewell, Guatemala, Cheops, United States, Israel, American, New York, Yellowstone, Martinique, Kazan, Russia, France, Phrygia, Turkey, Gaya, South Korea, Denmark

☆ Russian landmark added to UNESCO World Heritage List
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A university observatory in Russia has been inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. The astronomical observatories of Kazan Federal University, located in the city of Kazan, were added to the esteemed list on Monday as UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee continued its deliberations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. New additionsEthiopia’s Bale Mountains National Park has been inscribed on the coveted UNESCO World Heritage List. ‘Outstanding universal value’Maison Carrée, an ancient Roman temple in Nîmes, southern France, was added to the World Heritage List. Dominique Marck/Ville de Nîmes/UNESCO World Heritage Nomination OfficeThe committee is to review the remaining nominations, which includes Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, over the next few days.

Persons: Bale, Daniel Rosengren, Ethiopia’s Bale, Mount Pelée, Maison Carrée, Dominique Marck, Sophia Cathedral, ”, CNN’s Marnie Hunter, Francesca Street Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Kazan Federal University, Heritage Committee, Observatory, de Nîmes Locations: Russia, Kazan, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, France, Phrygia, Turkey, Gaya, South Korea, Denmark, Odzala, Congo, Mount, Martinique, Nîmes, Ukraine, Kyiv, Pechersk, Lviv

Jerusalem CNN —The United Nations World Heritage Committee voted Sunday to list the Tell es-Sultan archaeological site in Jericho as a “World Heritage Site in Palestine.”The decision was made at a conference held in Riyadh, UNESCO said on its official X account, formerly known as Twitter. The Palestinian Authority welcomed the decision, while Israel expressed ire. The newly designated site, located in Jericho in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, contains ruins dating back to the ninth millennium BCE. “The outstanding universal value of the site qualifies it to be one of the World Heritage sites,” Ma’ayah said. In 2010, Jericho celebrated being the oldest walled city in the world, dating back to the modern Stone Age.

Persons: Antiquities Rula Ma’ayah, “, ” Ma’ayah, Jericho Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, United Nations World Heritage, UNESCO, Twitter, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Palestinian Authority Foreign Affairs Ministry, ., Tourism, Antiquities, CNN, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ” Locations: Jerusalem, Jericho, Palestine, Riyadh, Israel, Jordan

☆ UNESCO adds new sites to the World Heritage List
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has wrapped up its deliberations related to sites that are in danger and began adding new sites on Saturday to its prestigious World Heritage List. Deliberations started Saturday considering 50 sites nominated for the well-known World Heritage List. Yurii Stefanyak/Global Images Ukraine/Getty ImagesThe World Heritage in Danger List includes heritage sites that are threatened by forces such as armed conflict, natural disasters, pollution and more. World Heritage ListAs discussions moved to contenders for the World Heritage List, the Forest Massif of Odzala-Kokoua in Congo was inscribed on Saturday. Sites must be of “outstanding universal value” to be added to the World Heritage List, according to UNESCO.

Persons: CNN —, Sophia Cathedral, Ukraine —, Mount Pelée, Yurii, Sophia, ”, “, ” CNN’s Marnie Hunter, Francesca Street Organizations: CNN, Kyiv, UNESCO Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Pechersk, Lviv, Odzala, Congo, Mount, Martinique, Venice, Long, Ba, Ha Long, Denmark, Ohio

☆ Venice ‘not at risk’ after all? UNESCO leaves city off its heritage in danger list
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Rome, Italy CNN —The Italian city of Venice and its lagoon were not listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list during a meeting of the UN agency in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, according to Italy’s culture ministry. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee had warned in July that Italy was not doing enough to protect the city from the threat of overtourism, development and climate change. It had recommended that it be added to its heritage in danger list. Recently, as part of its strategy to control tourism, the city adopted an entrance fee of €5 for day-trippers starting next spring. After the decision, the World Heritage Committee said Venice still faces major challenges and asked Italy to continue to protect it.

Persons: Italy CNN —, ”, Luigi Brugnaro, Andrea Pattaro Organizations: Italy CNN, UN, UNESCO World Heritage, UNESCO, Victory, UNESCO …, Getty, World Heritage Committee Locations: Rome, Italy, Venice, Saudi Arabia, UNESCO … Venice, AFP

☆ Venice escapes UNESCO’s ‘in danger’ designation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Rome, Italy CNN —The Italian city of Venice and its lagoon were not listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list during a meeting of the UN agency in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, according to Italy’s culture ministry. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee had warned earlier in July that Italy was not doing enough to protect the city from the threat of overtourism, development and climate change. It recommended that it be added to its heritage danger list. After the decision not to list the city on its “in danger” list, the World Heritage Committee noted that the site still faces major challenges and asked Italy to continue to protect the site. The World Heritage Committee is expected to start discussions on Saturday about which sites to add to its renowned World Heritage List.

Persons: Italy CNN —, ”, Luigi Brugnaro Organizations: Italy CNN, UN, UNESCO World Heritage, UNESCO, Victory, UNESCO …, Venice, Twitter, World Heritage Committee Locations: Rome, Italy, Venice, Saudi Arabia, UNESCO … Venice, Venice The

☆ The global treasures in the running for UNESCO’s World Heritage status
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

This year, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is reviewing nominations from both 2022 and 2023, with participants from across the world attending the session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to examine almost 50 contenders. According to UNESCO, sites must be of “outstanding universal value” to be included on the World Heritage List. So far, the World Heritage Committee has inscribed approximately 1,157 sites in 167 different countries onto the World Heritage List. Seo Heun Kang/UNESCO World Heritage Nomination OfficeOnly those countries that sign the convention creating the World Heritage Committee and list are permitted to nominate sites. Gordion, the capital city of ancient Phrygia in Ankara, Turkey, is also nominated for a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Persons: John E, Seo Heun Kang, Bale, Gordion, Mustafa Ciftci, Midas, Morten Rasmussen, Sarah Langrand, Dominique Marck, Bani Ma’arid, Bani Ma'arid, Hamad Al Qahtani, Koh Ker, Mount Pelée, Canada Bale, Francesca Street Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Cultural Organization, UNESCO World Heritage, Heritage, World, Anadolu Agency, Danish Agency for Culture, Fine Arts Department, de Nîmes, National Center for Wildlife, Architectural Museum, Kazan Federal University, Khinalig, Tunisia ESMA Museum, Clandestine Center of Detention, Wooden Posts, Greece Historic Center of Guimarães Locations: Gaya, Denmark, Thai, Ohio, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Hancock, United States, Goryeong, South Korea, Addis Ababa, Phrygia, Turkey, Ankara, B.C.E, Madagascar, Si Thep, Thailand, Si, Nîmes, France, Gorokhovets, Russia, Vladimir Oblast, Erfurt, Germany, Cambodia, Khmer, Courland, Latvia, Kaunas, Lithuania, Ab’aj, Guatemala, India, Karakum, Tajikistan, Menorca, Spain, Ethiopia, Iran, Klondike, Canada, Czech, Odzala, Kokoua, Congo, Mount, Northern Martinique, Benin Ha Long, Ba Archipelago, Vietnam, Forests, Azerbaijan, Jericho, Palestinian Territories, Kazan, Tunisia, Argentina, Belgium, Suriname Royal, Netherlands, Anatolia, Bisesero, Rwanda, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Masouleh, Turan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Northern Apennines, Italy, Tajikistan Highlands, Mongolian, Mongolia, Greece, Portugal

☆ Venice avoids being added to UNESCO list of endangered sites
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Sept 14 (Reuters) - A UNESCO committee has decided not to add Venice to the organisation's World Heritage List in Danger, disregarding a recommendation from experts and sparing the Italian government from an embarrassing verdict on the city's condition. "The World Heritage Committee ... has made the decision not to inscribe Venice and its Lagoon on the World Heritage List in Danger," UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency, said in a statement as the committee met in Riyadh. Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said adding Venice to the list would have been an "undue move" not based on objective facts. Venice, known for its canals and cultural sites, has long been threatened by floods and mass tourism. However, UNESCO said more work was needed to protect the fragile lagoon city.

Persons: Gennaro Sangiuliano, Sangiuliano, MOSE, Angelo Amante, John Irish, Alvise Armellini, David Holmes Organizations: UNESCO, Heritage, Thomson Locations: Venice, Riyadh, Italian, Rome, Paris

The storied and fragile lagoon city is not alone in its struggle to manage an onslaught of tourists in the low-cost flight era. But the stakes are particularly high this week as the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decides whether to add Venice to its list of endangered world sites. Critics charge that the tax was rushed through to impress the UNESCO committee that the city is acting to curb mass tourism. The recommendation to downgrade Venice cites not only management of mass tourism, but also the impact of climate change. Venice is one of six sites, including two in war-ravaged Ukraine, that the committee may officially declare to be in danger.

Persons: ’ ’, Michele Zuin, Saint Organizations: UNESCO World Heritage Committee, UNESCO, Venice Locations: VENICE, Italy, Venice, Rome, St, Ukraine, Ukraine’s, Kyiv, Lviv, Nessebar, Bulgaria, Turkey, Kamchatka, Russia’s

☆ Venice Keeps Off List of Endangered World Sites
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Elisabetta Povoledo | More About Elisabetta Povoledo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Venice will not be included on UNESCO’s list of “World Heritage in Danger” after a panel voted on Thursday to reject the recommendation of experts at the agency who had raised concerns that Italy had not done enough to protect the fragile city, which is threatened by climate change, mass tourism and development. Still, representatives of countries upholding the World Heritage Convention, which seeks to protect and preserve cultural sites, said in a statement that “further progress still needs to be made” to properly conserve Venice. During a debate on Thursday afternoon at a World Heritage Committee session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, several delegates said Italy should host a new advisory mission in Venice in the coming months to monitor the efficacy of the measures that Italy has taken so far and to make suggestions. “Venice is not at risk,” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro wrote on social media Thursday evening, describing the result as a “great victory.” Posting on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, he added: “The world has understood all the work we have done to save our city.”Italy was warned in July that Venice, a World Heritage Site since 1987, was being considered for UNESCO’s “in danger” list, even though the state and city have made significant changes to try to protect Venice.

Persons: Luigi Brugnaro Organizations: World Heritage Convention, Heritage, Twitter Locations: Venice, Italy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ” Italy

☆ Japan says swarms of tourists defiling sacred Mt Fuji
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Mariko Katsumura | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Visitors are seen at the fifth stage on the slopes of Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain 3,776 metres (12,388 ft), in Fujiyoshida, Japan, September 9, 2023. Mt Fuji, which straddles Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures in eastern Japan, has always been popular with local and overseas tourists. "It's uncontrollable and we fear that Mt Fuji will soon become so unattractive, nobody would want to climb it," he said. Mt Fuji was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site 10 years ago, further boosting its popularity. "Any Japanese person would want to climb Mt Fuji at least once in their life," said 62-year-old Jun Shibazaki, who arrived on a tour.

Persons: Mariko Katsumura, Masatake Izumi, Shibazaki, Chang, Ran Kim, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Mt Fuji, Mt, UNESCO, International Council, World Heritage, Thomson Locations: Mount, Fujiyoshida, Japan, Yamanashi, Shizuoka

☆ Great Barrier Reef stays off UNESCO ‘in danger’ list but hot El Niño summer looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“A lot of climate scientists are shocked by the fact that it wasn’t put on the list,” Kimberley Reid from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes and Monash University told CNN. Covering nearly 133,000 square miles (345,000 square kilometers), the Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 411 species of hard corals. Environment minister Tanya Plibersek told reporters Tuesday she made no apology for lobbying UNESCO to keep the Great Barrier Reef off the “in danger” list. Bleaching events and global warming have done significant damage to the Great Barrier Reef. Tourists, divers and marine biologists enter and exit the waters of the Great Barrier Reef on August 10, 2022 on Hastings Reef, Australia.

Persons: El, wasn’t, Kimberley Reid, I’m, ”, Reid, Tanya Plibersek, Michael Robinson Chavez, ” Plibersek, that’s, Terry Hughes, El Niño, ” Hughes, David Booth, government’s, “ Will, Booth, Jodie Rummer, “ That’s Organizations: Australia CNN —, UNESCO World Heritage, ARC Centre, Excellence, Extremes, Monash University, CNN, “, Heritage, UNESCO, Labor, Washington Post, Coral Reef, James Cook University, Australian, of Meteorology, Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, World Meteorological Organization, UTS, Reef Society, Federal Government Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Paris, Hastings Reef

☆ UNESCO recommends adding Venice to list of world heritage sites in danger
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Gondoliers row their gondolas through the Venice Canal as the city prepares for the Redentore Festival celebrations in Venice, Italy, July 15, 2023. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri/File PhotoJuly 31 (Reuters) - UNESCO experts have recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to its list of World Heritage in Danger as Italy is not doing enough to protect the city from the impact of climate change and mass tourism. UNESCO World Heritage Centre experts regularly review the state of the UN cultural agency's 1,157 World Heritage sites, and at a meeting in Riyadh in September, a committee of 21 UNESCO member states will review more than 200 sites and decide which to add to the danger list. Other sites recommended to be put on the danger list this year are the cities of Kyiv and Lviv in Ukraine. A spokesperson for the Venice municipality told Reuters the city "will carefully read the proposed decision published today by the Center for UNESCO's World Heritage Committee and will discuss it with the government".

Persons: Manuel Silvestri, Geert De Clercq, Augustin Turpin, Federica Urso, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, UNESCO, Heritage Centre, UN, Reuters, Center, World Heritage, Thomson Locations: Venice, Italy, Danger, Riyadh, Odessa, Ukraine, Timbuktu, Mali, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Kyiv, Lviv, Paris, Rome

☆ Australia argues against ‘endangered’ status for Great Barrier Reef
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s environment minister said Tuesday her government will lobby against UNESCO adding the Great Barrier Reef to a list of endangered World Heritage sites. The report, which recommended shifting the Great Barrier Reef to endangered status, followed a 10-day mission in March to the famed reef system off Australia’s northeast coast that was added to the World Heritage list in 1981. “We’ll very clearly make the point to UNESCO that there is no need to single the Great Barrier Reef out in this way” with an endangered listing, Plibersek told reporters. “If the Great Barrier Reef is in danger, then every coral reef in the world is in danger,” Plibersek said. The Great Barrier Reef accounts for around 10% of the world’s coral reef ecosystems.

☆ Great Barrier Reef should be put on 'in danger' list, UN panel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Australia's Great Barrier Reef should be listed as a world heritage site that is "in danger", a UN panel recommended on Tuesday, saying the world's biggest coral reef ecosystem was significantly impacted by climate change and warming of oceans. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the government would push UNESCO to not list the reef as endangered because climate change was threatening all coral reefs across the world. "We'll clearly make the point to UNESCO that there is no need to single the Great Barrier Reef out in this way," Plibersek said during a media briefing. The independent Great Barrier Reef Foundation said it was already aware of the series of threats identified in the UN report but the recommendation to add the reef to the endangered list was premature. "The Great Barrier Reef is a wonder, she's got her challenges, but she's definitely not on her last legs in any case," Managing Director Anna Marsden told Reuters.

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