Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program – a visionary program aimed at boosting the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef as we continue to tackle its greatest threat – climate change

Despite being one of the best-managed coral reef ecosystems in the world, the Great Barrier Reef  remains acutely vulnerable to the effects of climate change as evidenced by the March 2020  mass coral bleaching event – the third in five years.

The Federal Government today announced a $150 million contribution to the long term research and development of initiatives identified through a two year feasibility study by the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP).  

Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the research underlined the Morrison Government’s collaboration with world leading marine scientists in managing the reef.

“Climate change remains the biggest threat to the world’s coral reefs and while a global response is needed to tackle emissions, Australian science can lead the way in developing adaptive technologies to help protect the reef,” Minister Ley said.

“This is research that could help the reef recover from bleaching and which could assist it to adapt in the face of changing  ocean temperatures”

However, the RRAP Concept Feasibility Study found these initiatives would need to be combined with best-practice conventional reef management and reduced carbon emissions to maximise their effectiveness.

This visionary platform of interventions represents the world’s largest effort to help an ecosystem survive climate change and SIMS, in partnership with a broad collaboration is driving one of those interventions – the  Marine Cloud Brightening initiative.

The project is a partnership between SIMS, Southern Cross University, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Sydney, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and industry partners EmiControls, and Ron Allum Deepsea Services. 

Download the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Fact Sheet