Australia on Sunday pledged half a billion dollars to restore and protect the Great Barrier Reef in what it said would be a game-changer for the embattled natural wonder, but conservationists were not convinced.
The World Heritage-listed site, which attracts millions of tourists, is reeling from significant bouts of coral bleaching due to warming sea temperatures linked to climate change, AFP reported.
It is also under threat from the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, which has proliferated due to pollution and agricultural runoff.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said more than $400 million would go toward improving water quality, tackling predators, and expanding restoration efforts.
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