The Queensland Government is taking stronger measures in the hope of avoiding having UNESCO downgrade the Great Barrier Reef’s World Heritage status.

The World Heritage Committee has threatened to place the Great Barrier Reef on the “in danger” list, with a formal re-classification expected in June.

In an attempt to avoid the embarrassing downgrade, the Queensland Government will put together a special Water Science Taskforce to find ways to convince the UN that the Reef is not in danger.

Queensland Environment Minister Steven Miles says QLD chief scientist Dr Geoff Garrett will lead the taskforce, which will also feature relevant industry figures.

The 23-person taskforce will include experts from the science, business, agriculture and community sectors, but there are no details yet on who these will be.

“The taskforce has been given the job of providing a set of practical recommendations about the best combination of measures to achieve our water quality targets, including the priorities for investing the additional $100 million the Government has committed over the next five years,” Mr Miles told Parliament.

Labor’s election promises included a pledge to reduce farm nitrogen run-off by up to 80 per cent, and cut total suspended sediment by 50 per cent in key catchments such as the Wet Tropics and the Burdekin by 2025.

A new Office of the Great Barrier Reef will be set up within the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to run the show.

“It will significantly bolster our overall capacity and especially provide a far higher degree of accountability and transparency in reaching our targets,” Mr Miles said.

“These announcements are further examples of how the Queensland Government is ... demonstrating to UNESCO and the world at large how seriously we take our roles as custodians on this world heritage treasure.”

The Queensland Government also wants to include its $100 million election commitments in The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan.