Science solutions for 
protecting and preserving 
the Great Barrier Reef 



We acknowledge the continuing sea country 
management and custodianship of the Great 
Barrier Reef by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 
Traditional Owners, whose rich cultures, heritage 
values, enduring connections and shared efforts 
protect the Reef for future generations.

A research-led approach

CSIRO draws on a wide range of expertise to help solve some of society’s 
greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. 

Our approach to research is a collaborative one, and 
we benefit from many longstanding relationships with 
stakeholders and collaborators such as universities, industry 
and fellow research organisations. 

As Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, we are 
a trusted entity ideally positioned to provide scientific 
analysis and data to support informed decision 
making by government and industry. In the context 
of preserving Australia’s biodiversity for the future, 
these relationships are critical. 

These relationships and our combined scientific expertise is 
vital for the effective management of the Great Barrier Reef 
and the complexity of challenges it will face into the future.

Snorkelers exploring the northern reef wall at John Brewer Reef, offshore from Townsville. 
Image by Matt Curnock, CSIRO

2 Science solutions for protecting and preserving the Great Barrier Reef



A natural and cultural icon

The Great Barrier Reef is 2,300 kilometres long and spread 
along Australia’s eastern coastline, stretching from the top 
of Queensland down to Bundaberg in central Queensland. 
It is home to a wealth of marine biodiversity. This complex 
ecosystem, however, is being threatened from human 
activities both locally on the reef, regionally along its 
coastline, and globally. 

The greatest threat to the Reef is climate change and 
its impacts. The other main threats are associated with 
coastal development, land-based run‑off, pests like 
crown‑of‑thorns starfish and threats from direct use of the 
Reef such as fishing.

The Reef has shown the ability to recover from impacts. 
However, over the past 10 years three mass coral 
bleaching events have occurred in 2016, 2017 and 2020. 
Rapidly recurring bleaching events do not give the Reef 
ecosystem time to recover from the damage caused by 
these events.

Recent marine heatwaves are the primary cause of mass 
coral bleaching and damage to coral reefs including the 
Great Barrier Reef. Estimates from scientific modelling 
predict more frequent, hotter and longer-lasting marine 
heatwaves over larger areas in the future.1

In response to the growing pressures on the Reef, the 
Australian and Queensland governments released the 
Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan) 
in 2015 and it continues to be updated. It provides a 
35‑year blueprint for managing the Reef, it represents the 
policy cornerstone for safeguarding the Reef and guides 
government investment and broader stakeholder action in 
protecting the Reef. 

Fisherman on the Great Barrier Reef. 
Image by Matt Curnock

1 State of the Climate 2020: Bureau of Meteorology (bom.gov.au)



Figure of tragectories illustrating the effects of the rate of climate change and the rate of change in other drivers and pressures.
4321Rate of climate changeLower (1.5-2°C)Higher (>2°C)
LowHigh 
Rate of change in Regional pressuresRegional status quoEective Regional actionIncreasingly eective local and regional action
Managing the Reef in an 
uncertain future

The pressures on the Reef are varied, sometimes interconnected, 
sometimes overlapping and they can occur over different timescales.

Today many parts of the Reef remain in excellent condition. 
The Reef’s ecosystem has huge built‑in resilience that allows 
coral to recover when given the chance – but the number of 
such reefs has been declining over time. And the number of 
reefs in poor condition is increasing.2 

Recent warming events and cyclones on the Reef have 
severely impacted reef ecosystems and the livelihoods and 
industries that rely on it. These events have occurred on top 
of regional and local pressures from catchment land‑use, 
coastal developments, fishing and crown-of-thorns 
starfish outbreaks. 

The trajectory of continued global change is uncertain. 
However, one way to prepare is to consider future scenarios. 

For example, if the world met the Paris Agreement’s 
highest goal (< 1.5°C warming above preindustrial 
levels)3 then continued climate change would be 
limited but not insignificant. This possible future would 
provide opportunity to support the natural resilience 
of GBR ecosystems. Conversely, in a future world that 
warmed > 2°C, this ability to support the natural resilience 
of the Reef’s ecosystems becomes less effective. 

The rate of climate change is not under direct control 
of Reef decision makers. However, the rates of change 
regarding regional pressures are more responsive 
to governance and management decisions (see 
trajectories 1 and 2). Australia is leading the world with 
increasingly effective local and regional action to improve 
water quality and combat coral eating pests that weaken 
the Reef’s overall resilience (see trajectory 3).

The challenge to maintain the Reef is complex and will 
require sophisticated approaches to better understand 
how actions in the catchments and marine environment 
will interact with climate change impacts to determine the 
health of reef ecosystems. 

Using trajectories to better understand how we can build Reef resilience4

2 Reef Snapshot Summer 2020–21 (gbrmpa.gov.au)

3 Position Statement Climate change (gbrmpa.gov.au)

4 Adapted from Reef 2050 Plan Review Options (environment.gov.au)

4 Science solutions for protecting and preserving the Great Barrier Reef



Collaborative science is 
delivering results

Preserving the Reef’s ecological function by 2050 – not 
just of its coral reefs, but of all its ecosystems – represents 
a highly complex challenge. It requires broad based 
partnership between Australian governments, industry, 
landholders, community groups, Traditional Owners and 
research institutions.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), CSIRO and 
the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (the Authority) 
are the lead federal science and management agencies 
for the Reef.

We have a long history of working with partners in the Great 
Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and adjacent catchments, 
spanning the full continuum from inland to outer reef. 

CSIRO has taken a proactive role in facilitating a 
broad‑based coalition of partners and has built on existing 
and new research initiatives.

Our current work includes:

• Understanding and predicting the impacts of 
climate change.
• Improving water quality by reducing pollutants from 
agricultural land.
• Working with Traditional Owners to support their 
aspirations to monitor reef health in culturally relevent 
ways, and realise their rights and interests in Reef 
management and decisions.
• Supporting marine park management including 
managing crown‑of‑thorns starfish and modelling tools.
• Ocean acidification and coral bleaching research 
• Partnering with the Reef Restoration and Adaptation 
Program (RRAP) including harvesting coral spawn, 
modelling environmental reponses to climate and 
management interventions and designing stakeholder 
participation. The Program is funded by the partnership 
between the Australian Governments Reef Trust and the 
Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
• Understanding the perspectives of Reef residents and 
those whose livelihoods depend on it.


Coral reefs provide important habitat for many fish species. 
Image by Shutterstock



Solving the greatest challenges 
for the Great Barrier Reef

CSIRO research supports land managers 
to reduce sediment and soil loses from 
the Reef catchments, which can smother 
corals. This research helps improve the 
sustainability and profitability of farming 
and grazing businesses. We’re also 
helping sugarcane farmers to optimise 
their crop management and reduce 
nitrogen losses. We developed the 1622™ 
app that shows farmers the concentration 
of nitrogen in local waterways in real time.

More than 70 Traditional Owner groups 
span the length of the Great Barrier Reef. 
As the Reef custodians, they have deep 
spiritual connections, responsibilities and 
relationships with the Reef. We work closely 
with Traditional Owners to support the 
inclusion of their knowledge and values into 
decisions about the management of land 
and sea country in the Great Barrier Reef.

We work on developing technology and management 
plans to control the threat of crown‑of‑thorns 
starfish. The current management strategy has 
been tested and proven successful on priority reefs. 
Professional COTS divers (including Indigenous and 
youth trainees) and control vessel operators continue 
to cull thousands of starfish annually.

We also conduct our coral spawning 
work under the Reef Restoration and 
Adaptation Program (RRAP) program. 
This cultures larvae in the millions and 
places them back onto damaged reefs.



The Great Barrier Reef’s complex and delicately balanced ecosystem is being challenged. Impacts are being felt in 
deteriorating water quality due to land-based pollution, rising water temperatures and more extreme weather events 
due to climate change, pests such as crown-of-thorns starfish, coastal development and increasing ocean acidification. 
They are being seen in dramatic losses in coral cover and habitat.

Reef managers require an up-to-date 
understanding of how people value, 
perceive and interact with the Reef 
for effective management. SELTMP is 
the Social and Economic Long-Term 
Monitoring Program for the Reef, 
led by CSIRO. Its researchers have 
conducted large-scale surveys of Reef 
user groups in 2013, 2017 and 2021.

As a partner in the Reef Restoration 
and Adaptation Program (RRAP), we are 
working with marine park managers 
to test the effectiveness of novel 
management interventions such as marine 
cloud brightening, under current and 
future climate scenarios, to protect reefs 
from marine heat waves. This involves 
extensive modelling to assess the 
usefulness of these technologies as well 
as understanding their social acceptance.

We help provide large-scale assessment 
of ocean acidification and coral bleaching 
events. We use remote sensing, models such 
as eReefs and data visualisation to provide a 
picture of what is currently happening on the 
Reef and what will likely happen in the future.



Heart Reef in the Great Barrier Reef, Whitsundays

COVER: Many different solutions are needed to influence Reef health at a broad scale. Image by Shutterstock