May 29, 2015 12:00 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided against placing the Great Barrier Reef on a World Heritage endangered list, but with a few caveats.

According to BBC News, UNESCO will finalize its decision next month at the World Heritage Committee meeting in Germany. Conservationists detailed in a 2014 report how the Great Barrier Reef was bound to "deteriorate" over time due to industrial pollution, climate change and extreme weather events.

UNESCO decided against deeming the reef, one of the world's Seven Natural Wonders, "in danger," but detailed certain measures Australia must take to preserve it. Among them was a ban on developing new ports and making an effort to improve the quality of water in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland.

In its report, UNESCO gave Australia 35 years to implement the measures while being subject to intermittent check-ups.

"UNESCO now joins a long line of scientists, banks, organizations and individuals who are deeply worried about the Reef's health. The Australian government can't talk about protecting the Reef while aggressively supporting the licensing of mega-mines and expansion of coal ports along the Great Barrier Reef coast," Shani Tager, an activist with the non-profit and non-governmental Greenpeace organization's Australia Reef division, said in a statement. "This decision has been described by some as a reprieve for the Reef. It is not a reprieve - it is a big, red flag from UNESCO. Preeminent Reef scientists have said we can either have coal expansion or a healthy Reef, but we can't have both. The Australian people have made it clear they want Reef protection not more coal. UNESCO has now also sent a clear signal that the Abbott government must fully protect the Great Barrier Reef and that means a reprieve from coal expansion."

Callum Roberts, a marine conservation biologist at the University of York, said there is reason to be optimistic in regards to UNESCO's decision. He said it rewards ongoing conservation efforts and shows faith in where they are going.

"They're setting targets and they're obviously going to watch this very closely," Roberts told BBC News. "I think UNESCO is right to put on hold its decision, in view of this long-term sustainability plan. But it's also very right to set some target dates for Australia to produce evidence that it's actually sticking to the plan - that it's investing enough money to make that plan happen."

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