The Great Barrier Reef’s natural beauty and phenomena endures, but its integrity is being challenged by cumulative pressures, predominately from climate change.

Our Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2024 found the Reef is under pressure from:

• climate change
• poor water quality from land-based run-off
• coastal development impacts
• remaining impacts from fishing.

Key stressors on the Reef ecosystem include, above average sea temperatures, cyclones and storms, flood plumes and (for corals) crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks.

While there was good recovery of coral reef and seagrass habitats overall during the Outlook Report’s assessment period (2019 to 2023) the Reef’s capacity to recover from impacts will continue to be compromised by a rapidly changing climate.

Every increment of global warming is compromising the Reef’s unique biodiversity, significant cultural heritage, social benefits, and the ecosystem services it provides.

While the Reef remains a vibrant, beautiful ecosystem of immense value to Australians and the world, global, national and local actions are needed to protect the Reef.

Addressing key threats

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is the key management agency for the Great Barrier Reef and works with government, industries and communities to build reef resilience.

We use various tools — including on-ground park management, policies, programs, partnerships and regulations — to maintain the delicate balance between protecting and enabling sustainable use.

The Australian and Queensland governments' Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan provides an overarching framework for protecting the Reef.

It draws on our strategic assessment and 25-year management plan and the findings of our Outlook Report 2019, which together provide the largest, up-to-date information on the Reef's health and management.

The Great Barrier Reef Blueprint for Climate Resilience and Adaptation (Blueprint 2030) builds on existing world-class management activities and past achievements and provides a pathway to continue adaptation as the climate changes.

The Blueprint 2030 is our roadmap to further strengthen Reef resilience, setting out specific actions and longer-term opportunities for the Reef Authority to implement with our partners during this decade.

Climate change policies review

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority provided input to the Australian Department of Environment and Energy on the climate change policies and review discussion paper.

The Authority's submission reinforces the importance of Australia leading global efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

State of the climate

In December 2018, the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO released their fifth biennial State of the Climate report.

It draws on the latest monitoring, science and projection information to describe variability and changes in Australia’s climate.