Great Barrier Reef is at Crossroads says UN Mission

A United Nations mission has said a federal government assessment that coal seam gas developments would have minimal impact on the Great Barrier Reef "may be untrue".

Representatives from the organisation's environment arm will spend the next nine days visiting the reef, one of the world's most important environmental assests, and meeting with scientists and developers.

The co-ordinator of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre's marine program, Fanny Douvere, yesterday declared the reef is ''at a crossroads'' and needs the government's protection ''not just for Australians but for humanity as a whole''.

''We are not just talking about any barrier reef, we're talking about the Great Barrier Reef,'' Dr Douvere said.

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SMH