Unesco spares Great Barrier Reef 'in-danger' listing but issues warning

Unesco world heritage committee passes draft ruling that reef's status remain unchanged, but says Australia must do more to prevent further damage

The UN has ruled against listing the Great Barrier Reef as "in danger", congratulating Australia on its conservation plan but giving it five years to halt deterioration of the natural icon.

Unesco's world heritage committee in Germany on Wednesday unanimously passed an earlier draft ruling that the reef's status remain unchanged but that Australia must show significant progress in pushing its plan by the end of 2016.