Last week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced $700 million for Great Barrier Reef conservation over the next nine years. More than half the money will go toward water quality, including projects to reduce erosion and runoff of pesticides and nutrients. Other funding will be directed toward conservation and reef management, including projects to address illegal fishing and coral-eating starfish. Other projects will include monitoring reef health, researching reef resiliency, undertaking habitat restoration, and protecting species (The Guardian). The proposal is in addition to a preexisting A$2 billion over the next three decades for the reef (Reuters).

Various critics and environmental groups say the money is welcome, but that the government needs to do more to address climate change, because “without climate action[,] the reef is doomed,” according to the Australian Conservation Foundation (BBC). The proposal also comes right before Australia is required to submit a report on the reef’s conservation measures to UNESCO on February 1. The U.N. agency previously cautioned that if measures were not taken, the reef risked losing its World Heritage status (CNN). Last summer, UNESCO considered listing the reef as an endangered World Heritage Site due to the threats of climate change. After conducting a monitoring mission of the reef in the first half of 2022, the agency will again consider listing the reef as “in danger” at its upcoming July meeting.