Unesco praises Albanese government for efforts to protect Great Barrier Reef

Commitments to improve water quality and reduce stress from commercial fishing could mean the reef avoids going on world heritage danger list

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The head of Unesco has praised the Albanese government for making new commitments to protect the Great Barrier Reef, signalling Australia could avoid seeing it being placed on a list of world heritage sites in danger.

Unesco’s director-general, Audrey Azoulay, was commenting on a letter from environment minister Tanya Plibersek that outlined new commitments to improve water quality and reduce the stress from commercial fishing over the reef.