Great Barrier Reef nominated for lifetime achievement award

The Great Barrier Reef has been nominated for a global environmental award in a world-first — but for those closest to the natural wonder, it’s already won.

The Great Barrier Reef has been nominated for a global environmental award in a world-first — but for those closest to the natural wonder, it’s already won.

The reef was nominated for a lifetime achievement award in the United Nations Environment Programme’s Champions of the Earth awards.

It is the first time a non-human has been nominated.

But GBR biology manager Dr Eric Fisher, who grew up in Far North Queensland, said with 600 different species of coral and 1600 different species of fish, it was deserving of the accolade.

“The reef evokes every human emotion,” he said.

A turtle swims around the surrounding Great Barrier Reef.

For a start, it is the largest living structure on Earth, spanning more than 2300km along the Queensland coast of Australia, and is visible from space.

“At the end of the day our job is to connect people to the reef,” Dr Fisher said.

“Because if people have a connection to the reef, they are going to be more empowered to help it ... they’re going to make a lot better choices because of it.”

Dr Fisher graduated from James Cook University in 1992 with honours in biology.

He is now undertaking a PhD through JCU in coral reef fish forming aggregations on the reef.

But before he became a reef expert, Dr Fisher spent his time growing up around it.

“From a very early age I was running around mangroves, rainforests, freshwater creeks, coral reefs ... to me they were all just one habitat,” he said.

“We were always in it.”

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth, spanning more than 2300km along the Queensland coast of Australia, and is visible from space.

While the reef experienced its sixth widespread coral bleaching event since 2016, Dr Fisher said there was a misconception corals cannot survive bleaching.

Corals are generally brown or cream; if they are bleached they turn white and lose their colours.

“Coral bleaching is a stress response,” Dr Fisher said.

“But it can actually help corals live longer ... bleaching is often perceived as an outright death sentence. But it’s not.

“It’s not necessarily good, but often it can see through that stress and come back.”

Unfortunately, Dr Fisher said bleaching was only part of the problem; the crown-of-thorns starfish prey on corals and are endemic to the Great Barrier Reef.

“They’ve got this beautiful biology where they can go from being a low density population to tens of thousands,” he said.

“They’re covered in spines and not a lot of species like to eat it.”

Andrew Watson captured this image off the Reef Magic Pontoon.

The biggest threat to the reef, Dr Fisher said, was climate change.

“It’s increasing the disturbances such as tropical storms and cyclones, causes heatwaves (and bleaching),” Dr Fisher said.

Bekki Hull, a marine biologist with Great Adventures, is passionate about protecting the Great Barrier Reef, and wants to see more climate action.

“I know Queensland has definitely stepped up with their commitment to renewable energy, but all around the world we need to increase our renewable energy ... less nuclear power and more renewable energy,” she said.

Ms Hull welcomed the Albanese government’s commitment of $10m towards the Reef Education Experience Fund to boost education and awareness for schools, tourism operators and international visitors.

“I cried that day (when Anthony Albanese made the announcement on Green Island during the election campaign), I was just so happy,” she said.

While the Great Barrier Reef experienced its sixth widespread coral bleaching event since 2016, experts say it's a misconception corals cannot survive bleaching.

Ms Hull, who has completed internships in Mauritius, Indonesia and South Africa and worked in the Maldives for five years, said the reef was the “beating heart of the ocean”.

“I am very proud to be part of it ... it (the Lifetime of Greatness Project which is campaigning for the reef to win the environment award) is getting information out there, but it’s also giving people experiences,” she said.

“I get to change lives every day and I love what I do.”

Ms Hull has experience in coral restoration, shark and ray conservation, sea turtle rehabilitation, reef surveys and educating people from all over the world.

The Great Barrier Reef has 600 different species of coral and 1600 different species of fish.

But she said the most common misconception was the reef was dead.

“Yes, we need to work on combating climate change and reduce our carbon emissions and reef restoration but coral reefs have been around for millions of years. The reef we see today is about 8000 years old but reefs were recorded more than two million years ago,” she said.

“That’s why education is so important — when you understand something and fall in love with it, that’s when you protect it.”

Ms Hull returned to Australia in 2022 when she made her way to Cairns, and kept falling in love with the natural asset.

“The reef is so special, it’s so important. And I hope it gets the recognition it deserves,” Ms Hull said.

Now she’s committed to making others fall in love with it too.

More than 7000 people across the world have supported the Great Barrier Reef’s nomination. To do so, visit alifetimeofgreatness.com

The writer visited the Great Barrier Reef as a guest of Tropical Tourism North Queensland

Originally published as Great Barrier Reef nominated for lifetime achievement award