Great Barrier Reef’s ‘very poor’ outlook not based on ‘current status’

The federal government claims there have been big improvements in the health of the Great Barrier Reef and that a recent ‘very poor’ outlook rating is not based on current conditions.

The Great Barrier Reef‘s “very poor” outlook was ”strongly driven” by climate change forecasts rather than its current condition, the federal government says as it spruiks its commitment to net zero emissions and a $1 billion rescue package in a bid to keep it off the “in danger” list.

Green groups continue to push for the UN’s World Heritage Committee to make the official listing, amid fears this would hurt tourism.

Australia narrowly avoided the ruling last year but was given a stay of execution until later this year to prove its case, with the state of conservation report due this week.

Scuba divers explore coral gardens teaming with fish life on Saxon Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

In the report, released on Thursday, the government pointed prominently to its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 and the $1 billion reef rescue package announced last week, as it noted climate change was the biggest threat to the reef.

But it said there had been big improvements made, including through the use of coral IVF, better water quality, less agricultural run-off and fewer cyclones.

Part of the WHC’s criticism was focused on the 2019 Great Barrier Reef Outlook, which stated the ecosystem’s outlook had deteriorated from “poor to very poor” and had suffered from mass coral bleaching events in 2016, 2017 and 2020.

But the government’s response argued the claim was “not an assessment of the reef ecosystem’s current status, or a definitive forecast of its future condition”.

“This (outlook) was downgraded from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’, strongly driven by trends in global greenhouse gas emissions and forecasts of climate change,” it stated.

The report to the WHC said there had been lower levels of coral heat stress and agricultural run-off recorded than in previous years, while there had been fewer impacts from cyclones.

“We are addressing all threats to the Reef: climate change, water quality, impacts of fishing, marine plastic pollution, and crown-of-thorns starfish, and we are boosting our efforts to rehabilitate and restore key habitats to support threatened species,” the report stated.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley said she was still urging the WHC members to come to see the reef first hand.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley. Picture: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

“Our investments in world-leading science, climate adaptation technologies, water quality improvement projects, Crown-of-Thorns Starfish control, reef habitat restoration, and threatened species projects are strengthening the resilience of the reef,” she said.

“We need global action on climate change through the appropriate UN bodies to address the major external threat to the Reef.

“But we also need to recognise the vital importance of the work the Government is supporting through scientists, farmers, Traditional Owners, local communities and Tourism operators, as part of our efforts to ensure the long-term health of our iconic Great Barrier Reef.”