Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Listing

The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981 due to its Outstanding Universal Value including its unique natural attributes and enormous scientific and environmental importance.

World Heritage sites are places that are important to and belong to everyone, no matter where they are located. They have universal value that is greater than the importance they hold for one particular nation. They are the best examples of the world’s cultural and natural heritage and must have values that are outstanding and universal.

As the world’s most extensive coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef was recognised as a globally outstanding and significant entity. The listing covers an area of 348,000 square kilometres, stretching from the low water mark along the mainland coast up to 250 kilometres offshore. It includes vast shallow inshore areas, mid-shelf and outer reefs, extending beyond the continental shelf to oceanic waters over 2000 metres deep.

Collectively the landscapes (over 900 islands) and seascapes (2500 individual reefs) provide some of the most spectacular maritime scenery in the world. The diversity of species and habitats, and their interconnectivity, make the Reef one of the richest and most complex natural ecosystems on earth. No other World Heritage property contains such biodiversity. Read more about the Reef’s Outstanding Universal Value.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee regularly reviews the state of conservation of all properties on the World Heritage List. It can place a property on an ‘in danger’ list if it believes the property is threatened by serious and specific dangers.

The World Heritage Committee has considered the state of conservation of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area since 2011. In its decisions, the World Heritage Committee has requested the Australian Government undertake a range of measures to ensure the Outstanding Universal Value of the Great Barrier Reef is not compromised. These measures include developing the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan).

The Queensland Government works in partnership with the Australian Government to manage the Reef’s Outstanding Universal Value.

The Queensland Government has committed more than $1 billion since 2015 to protecting the Reef. This includes further substantial actions to reduce emissions, improve water quality and land condition, and reform fisheries management.

International concerns about the Great Barrier Reef are in response to the declining long-term outlook for the Reef in the face of climate change and ongoing water quality issues.

Following the decision of the World Heritage Committee in September 2023, Australia submitted a progress report which was tabled for consideration at the July 2024 meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. The report includes updates on the implementation of commitments that Queensland made to the Australian Government and UNESCO in May 2023.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee 46^th session adopted the draft decision on 25 July 2024 noting a progress report will be submitted in February 2025. This is to be followed by an update to the State of Conservation of the Great Barrier Reef Report in February 2026.

The 2024 decision clearly demonstrates that the Queensland Government’s commitments to protecting the Reef, including increased investment and action, is paying off. It also recognises that addressing the impacts of climate change requires global action in addition to Queensland reducing its own emissions.

In protecting the Reef, the Australian and Queensland governments are committed to increased action and investment towards climate change and accelerating progress towards the water quality targets. More than $185 million, including $25 million for the rezoning of the Great Sandy Marine Park, is being committed to support fishers to significantly reduce net fishing and other high risk fishing activities that impact the Reef, to ensure the Great Barrier Reef is gillnet free by mid-2027. Read more about how this phase out will provide greater protection for threatened, endangered and protected species.

The Queensland Government is committed to achieving the Reef water quality targets and seeing a reduction in overall pollutant discharge through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program. It also continues to take decisive action against climate change, setting bold but achievable targets to continue reducing emissions while creating jobs.