What can be done?

The impacts of climate change on ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef are complex, and to some extent, uncertain. However, most evidence suggests serious impacts for both ecosystems and the people that depend on them. Impacts may be minimised through planning and mitigation i.e. reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, even if all greenhouse gas emissions were reduced today, because of lags in the system, we are still committed to significant climate change by the end of this century.

Urgent efforts to mitigate the ultimate extent of climate change and its impacts are necessary, but this will require global cooperation and comprehensive solutions. The effectiveness of these efforts will be governed by complex political and socio-economic drivers that are largely unpredictable. Adaptation will remain an essential strategy to cope with unavoidable climate changes, and is a task requiring involvement of all Australians.

Continued research into the causes and consequences of global climate change is important. Accurate predictions of the geographic patterns and rates of change, and the best ways to respond to them, must be available to governments and the community. Sharing scientific resources is particularly important in addressing this global issue. Much research effort is also being focused on understanding the capacity of corals to adapt to warmer waters.

In the short-term, we must maintain coral reefs in the best possible condition. Recovery from the 1998 coral bleaching event was much better on healthy reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef than on reefs that were degraded by other stresses. Reefs that are already stressed by environmental factors, such as poor water quality or overfishing, will be more vulnerable to changes in sea temperature. Conservative use of resources and liberal application of strategies to protect biological diversity, productivity and resilience are needed.

For human enterprises, such as tourism and fishing, to survive and thrive in the 21st century, it means:

working with scientists to determine the implications for different industries of projected future environmental trends;
implementing best practices to protect the biological diversity, productivity and ecosystem processes that underpin their industries; and
working in the broader society to raise awareness of the implications of climate change, and influence policies that will reduce the rate of climate change and its associated impacts, and improve our ability as a society to adapt to the unavoidable changes.

CRC Reef Research Centre Ltd was established and is supported under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program. Its mission is to plan, fund and manage world-leading science for the sustainable use of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. CRC Reef is a joint venture between Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Great Barrier Reef Research Foundation, James Cook University, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland Seafood Industry Association, Sunfish Queensland Inc. The University of Queensland is an associate member.