Posted on June, 18 2015

July marked a high point in the fight to protect the Great Barrier Reef, which saw WWF’s signature campaign for the Reef secure a World Heritage Committee decision that puts the Australian Government on probation until the health of the Reef improves. The Australian Government must deliver “effective and sustained” protection of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Site – and report on progress within 18 months.  The campaign profiled the declining health of the reef, mobilised more than 500,000 signatures calling for a ban on dumping of seabed spoil within the WHS area. As well as the mammoth, multi-lingual petition, campaign tactics included a smart-phone accessible virtual reality tour of the Reef, an innovative “claim your piece of the Reef” website, more than 2000 crocheted pieces of coral reef, a global poll and WWFs most successful facebook post ever.