Great Barrier Reef inspection not needed because science was clear: UNESCO

The United Nations organisation is under growing international pressure to explain its contentious draft decision to declare Australia's ocean jewel "in danger".

The Morrison government last week claimed to have been blindsided by what it believed was a politically-motivated decision which subverted the normal listing process.

It fears the reef's international reputation could be tarnished if the recommendation is rubber-stamped, placing thousands of tourism jobs at risk.

One of Australia's major grievances is that UNESCO made the recommendation based on a review of documents, rather than a physical inspection of what Environment Minister Sussan Ley has argued is the best managed coral reef in the world.

"The draft recommendation was based on old data," Ms Ley said in question time this week.

"UNESCO didn't actually come and inspect the reef for themselves, and this means they have failed to witness firsthand the enormous efforts of traditional owners, farmers, tourism operators and communities up and down the reef coast who are working with the Australian and Queensland governments to protect the reef."

The government has vowed to challenge the recommendation before UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, which is currently chaired by China, meets in July to make a final ruling.

In a conference call with journalists late on Friday, UNESCO officials said there was no requirement to visit a site before recommending it be declared endangered - if the evidence was "absolutely clear".

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In the case of the Great Barrier Reef, the officials said an inspection would not have changed their view that climate change was driving the reef's decline and it might not survive if global temperatures exceeded the Paris Agreement goals.

The recommendation was based entirely on scientific and technical information provided by the Australian government, which was backed up reports from international bodies, they said.

"All of the information has been extremely clear for actually many years. This is not something that has been clear only in the last year. It has been clear for many years," UNESCO oceans expert Fanny Douvere said.

Australia's doubts about the listing process is shared with at least 11 other countries, who last week co-signed a letter to UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay to express their collective concern.

UNESCO World Heritage Centre director Mechtild Rossler told Friday's briefing that the letter came as a "total surprise", as her organisation had spoken to each of the countries before the recommendations were published last week.

Dr Rossler indicated that the letter related not just to concerns about the listing of the Great Barrier Reef, but the nomination process for other sites.

Echoing comments from earlier last week, Dr Douvere said the reef recommendation was intended to send a message to the international community that it needed to urgently step up efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

"The decision provides a opportunity to turn that around, to get to a position that will save the Great Barrier reef, save the jobs and the livelihoods of so many people - it's over 60,000 people that are dependant on the reef.

"Australia on its own cannot do this. This decision provides an opportunity to unite the international community."

Ms Ley did not respond to The Canberra Times' request for comment.

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