While environmentalists and scientists have backed UNESCO’s call to put the reef on its endangered list, the Australian government has attempted to paint it as a geopolitical play by China.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/07/22/australia-is-pushing-back-against-unescos-plan-to-label-great-barrier-reef-in-danger–heres-what-you-need-to-know/