Australia has pledged US $42 million to perk up quality of water on the Great Barrier Reef, which is coming under growing hazard from toxic chemicals and climate change.

Peter Garrett, Environment Minister, said the fund will go towards conservation and agriculture groups to assist farmers decrease the flow of excess pesticides and other chemicals into the reef.

Garrett said, "This is the most significant investment any commonwealth government has put into our most important national treasure. It does face significant pressures, not the least of which is climate change."

Garrett said scientists, non-government groups, and Aboriginal representatives would form an extraordinary union of cooperative interests to protect the reef.

"It is a very important and powerful partnership and we have really high expectations that we can really start to take great care of this important natural asset," he added.

New laws were passed in January, which has pushed the funding permitting farmers to be penalised is they let pesticides and fertilisers to enter the water around the reef. The Great Barrier Reef is described as the world’s largest living organism.

The growth of coral has declined significantly on the reef that spans 345,000 sq-km. The scientists are blaming increased sea temperatures and higher acidity due to global warming.