[1/2] A colony of mushroom leather coral grows on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns, Australia October 25, 2019. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File PhotoSYDNEY, Aug 1 (Reuters) - A UNESCO heritage committee on Tuesday stopped short of listing Australia's Great Barrier Reef as a site that is "in danger" but warned the world's biggest coral reef ecosystem remained under "serious threat" from pollution and the warming of oceans. The UN panel has asked the government to submit a progress report by February 2024. The World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia said UNESCO could place the reef on the endangered list if the government failed to demonstrate progress on existing commitments. "There's an opportunity for Australia to lift its game before it is required to provide a progress report ... next year."

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Persons: Lucas Jackson, Anthony Albanese, Richard Leck, Renju Jose, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Cultural Organization, Labor, UN, Fund, Nature, Australia, Thomson Locations: Cairns, Australia, Queensland, Sydney