Australian Coral Reef Society comments on the 2019 Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report

Download: ACRS Outlook report commentary

Every five years, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) publishes the Outlook Report, which provides an up to date snapshot of the health, pressures and risks to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).  It is a key source of information for the Australian coral reef science community, as well as those with an interest in the management and custodianship of the GBR.  the outlook report was discussed in the Senate last month (21 October 2019), after attracting national and international media attention, and being the subject of many regional community stakeholder meetings since its tabling in Parliament in August.

On behalf of Dr. Sarah Hamylton and Catheline Froehlich, the ACRS has summarized this report and provided commentary on GBRMPA’s outlook for the Great Barrier Reef. Critically, as another hot summer unfolds,  the ACRS interprets the central message of the Outlook Report as an urgent call to action: major threats to the region need to be addressed, with the utmost emphasis on reducing carbon emissions to curb climate change and improvements to water quality.

For a more detailed look at the ACRS’s commentary on this report, we encourage you to access the full commentary