The Newman government's Environment Minister Andrew Powell used the G20 as an opportunity to woo UNESCO head Irina Bokova and a small group of her advisers regarding the Great Barrier Reef.

Mr Powell took them north to see "firsthand just how wonderful the reef is", as UNESCO weighs up whether to declare it as being "in danger".  The government has until February to show the reef and its future are well managed.

Green groups and conservationists have run an international campaign highlighting the dangers the Abbot Point port expansion could bring to the reef.  The message reached US President, Barack Obama, who name-checked the Queensland World Heritage site and its importance in his "Brisbane speech", which became a call to arms over climate change.

"The incredible natural glory of the Great Barrier Reef is threatened," he said. "... Because I have not had time ... to go to the Great Barrier Reef and I want to come back and I want my daughters to be able to come back and I want them to be able to bring their daughters or sons to visit. And I want that there 50 years from now."

His comments came while Mr Powell and Ms Bokova toured the reef with marine park representatives.

On Monday, Mr Powell said he believed the government had successfully updated Ms Bokova on both the federal and state governments' efforts to protect the reef.

"Those efforts include the beneficial reuse of dredge spoil at Abbot Point, the introduction of stronger penalties for anyone found causing environmental harm to the reef, our ongoing $35 million annual investment in water-quality improvements and Minister Hunt's announcement to prohibit dredge spoil disposal at sea within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park," he said in a statement.

And for Mr Obama, he had these words.

"We want to ensure that the Great Barrier Reef is protected for our kids, and their kids in the future.

"Like the Premier, I too want to assure President Obama, and all Queenslanders, that we are working alongside our farmers, traditional owners, conservation groups, tourism operators, local governments, and industry - with the best scientists - to ensure the reef is protected for future generations."

Mr Powell's comments came as the government announced its commitment to ensuring the infrastructure needed to get the Galilee Basin coal projects off the ground, was built. That will significantly increase the amount of shipping traffic through the soon to be expanded Abbot Point port, at the doorway to the Great Barrier Reef.