By Associate Professor Albert Gabric, Director, Master of Environment Program, School of Environment and Science
Some indisputable facts about the Great Barrier Reef:
the world’s most significant coral reef ecosystem of immense biodiversity and global heritage value;
total economic, social and iconic value estimated in 2017 by Deloitte Access Economics at $56 billion;
under threat from multiple local stressors including, declining water quality, coastal zone development, and periodic invasions by the crown of thorn starfish;
compounding these local threats are a host of climate change related global problems, including bleaching and acidification and extreme weather events, viz. marine heat waves and cyclones.
These threats to the GBR have been the subject of several major government studies in the last 20 years, including the Industry Commission Report (2003) and Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (2017). The latter report stated:
The main source of the primary pollutants (nutrients, fine sediments and pesticides) from Great Barrier Reef catchments is diffuse source