Reef is being protected: Qld premier

The Queensland premier has moved to reassure US President Barack Obama that his government is "solid" on the issue of protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

In a speech that has piled pressure on the Abbott government to act on climate change, Mr Obama on Saturday said no country was immune and everyone must play a role in fighting global warming.

He warned natural wonders like the reef were under threat, and he wanted it to still be there in 50 years time.

On Sunday, Premier Campbell Newman moved to reassure the US leader.

"If the president is concerned about the reef I absolutely want to reassure him we've got a government that's really solid on reef protection, and there are many examples of that," he told reporters.

"One the things I'll be doing in the future is making sure that US officials perhaps know more about what actually is going on because there's been a very strong campaign of misinformation by green groups.

"They're determined to misinform the world community about what's happening to the reef."

But conservationists say continued industrialisation of Queensland's northern coast is a real and enduring threat.

And UNESCO has given Australia until February to show it is properly managing the Barrier Reef. If it is not satisfied with the response, the reef could be listed as a World Heritage site in danger.

"It is time for the Australian and Queensland governments to take heed and act decisively, rather than trying to placate concerns by whitewashing international consternation such as that expressed by UNESCO and the World Heritage committee," the Australian Marine Conservation Society said on Saturday, after the Obama speech.

"To do that, our governments must stop the rapid industrialisation of the coastline, driven primarily by plans for increased coal mining."