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Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan
What is it?
The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability
Plan1 is the overarching framework for
protecting and managing the Great
Barrier Reef from 2015 to 2050. The plan
is a key component of the Australian
Government’s response to the
recommendations of the UNESCO World
Heritage Committee.
What’s the goal of the Plan?
The vision for the Plan is:
“To ensure the Great Barrier
Reef continues to improve on its
Outstanding Universal Value every
decade between now and 2050 to be
a natural wonder for each successive
generation to come.”
still climate change, land-based run-off,
coastal development, some remaining
impacts of fishing and illegal fishing and
poaching”.
This is the focal point for the plan.
The plan specifies objectives, outcomes
and measureable targets for seven theme
areas - biodiversity, ecosystem health,
heritage, water quality, community
benefits, economic benefits and
governance.
The following guiding principles govern
the Plan:
 Maintaining and enhancing
outstanding universal value in every
action;
 Basing decisions on the best available
science;
What does it focus on?
 Delivering a net benefit to the
ecosystem; and
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority’s Outlook Report 20142 found
that:
 Adopting a partnership approach to
management.
“The greatest risks to the Reef are
This figure sets out
the seven themes and
desired outcomes of the
Reef 2050 Long-Term
Sustainability Plan.
OUTSTANDING
UNIVERSAL VALUE
• exceptional natural beauty
and aesthetic importance
• significant geomorphic or
physiographic features
• significant ecological
and biological processes
• conservation of biological diversity
VISION
t–
en
ge
m
Economic benefits
ct
nta
di
an
ole
wh
Water quality
Reef water quality sustains the Reef’s outstanding universal value, builds resilience and improves
ecosystem health over each successive decade.
ain
em
sr
ute
rib
att
na
Indigenous and
non-Indigenous
heritage values are
identified, protected,
conserved and managed
such that the heritage values
maintain their significance for
current and future generations.
al
tur
na
Ma
y–
Heritage
Biodiversity
The Reef maintains its
diversity of species and
ecological habitats and
these improve over each
successive decade to 2050.
rit
Ecosystem
health
The status and
ecological functions of
ecosystems within the
Great Barrier Reef World
Heritage Area are in at
least good condition with a
stable to improving trend.
eg
ap
pro
pri
ate
ma
na
ge
me
nt
sy
ste
ms
2050 OUTCOMES
Int
Photo: courtesy of Gary Cranitch@Queensland Museum
To ensure the Great Barrier Reef
continues to improve on its outstanding universal
value every decade between now and 2050 to be
a natural wonder for each successive generation to come.
Economic activities within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and its catchments sustain the Reef’s outstanding universal value.
Community benefits
An informed community that plays a role in protecting the Reef for the benefits a healthy Reef provides for current and future generations.
Governance
The outstanding universal value of the Reef is maintained and enhanced each successive decade
through effective governance arrangements and coordinated management activities.
Current management foundation
What about the effects of climate change
on the Reef?
The plan considers global climate change
mitigation and other actions to improve
reef health as essential to increasing the
Reef’s resilience to climate change. The
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s
“Great Barrier Reef Climate Change
Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan
(2012–2017)” is also a core component of
the Plan.
How does it deliver on UNESCO’s
requests to Australia?
The attached fact sheet from the
Australian Government summarises
the ways in which the plan is intended
to deliver on UNESCO’s World Heritage
Committee requests.
Who developed it?
The plan was developed jointly by
a 16-member partnership group
including the Australian and Queensland
governments, Traditional Owners, key
industry organisations, scientists and
interest groups.
How will it be implemented?
The Plan will be implemented through a
series of partnerships and collaborations
overseen by a governing structure (see
diagram below). The Plan will also be
made a schedule to the Great Barrier
Reef Intergovernmental Agreement
2009 between the Australian and
Queensland governments.
The Plan will be reviewed on a 5-yearly
basis.
How will it be funded?
The Reef Trust will be a key investment
vehicles and an investment framework
will guide funding of the plan to ensure
it adds to existing efforts and will
result in the cost-effective delivery of
clear outcomes. Investments will be
evidence-based and grounded in strong
scientific and expert knowledge.
What’s the role of science in the plan?
Strong science is at the heart of
the plan – reflected in the desired
outcomes, objectives and targets as
well as in the guiding principle of ‘best
available knowledge’.
How does the Foundation’s work fit
into the plan?
The Foundation’s work complements
the goals, objectives and measures of
the Plan in key theme areas and in its
approach to supporting adaptation to
climate change for the Reef.
Committee structure
to support the Plan
Reef advisory
committee
Intergovernmental
operational
committee
Great Barrier Reef
Ministerial Forum
Independent
expert panel
1
Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, Commonwealth of Australia 2015:
www.environment.gov.au/marine/great-barrier-reef/long-term-sustainability-plan
2
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2014, Great Barrier Reef outlook report 2014: in brief, GBRMPA,
Townsville.
Important note:
This document summarises key points and figures from the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan1
for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Chairman’s Panel members. Wherever possible, the Foundation
has directly extracted information from the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan for inclusion. The
Foundation has sought not to provide any interpretation of information contained in the assessments but
recognises that in summarising the documents it may appear to have done so.
Last updated: 23 Mar 2015