Australian seethes at Great Barrier Reef downgrade by UNESCO

Australia on Tuesday said it will strongly oppose a UNESCO plan to list the Great Barrier Reef as being "in danger" over deterioration caused by climate change.

The UN body released a draft report on Monday recommending the reef's World Heritage status be downgraded because of its dramatic coral decline.

The reef is one of seven sites threatened with being added to the endangered heritage list over ecological damage, overdevelopment, overtourism or security concerns.

Others include the Italian city of Venice, which has been overrun with tourists, and the waterfront of the English city of Liverpool.