Residual High Medium Medium High Low for Low for High–very high Very high vulnerability undeveloped undeveloped basins, extensive basins dominated This vulnerability (Low, medium, land use (grazing) by extensive land recognises the high) areas and use (grazing) current status of protected areas. where it is not global emissions associated with trajectories and High for intensive significant soil likely response agricultural erosion, and time to as yet lowland areas, protected areas. unimplemented population centres mitigation Medium for and proximal strategies. coastal plains / basins with a hinterlands. variegated land Wetlands in use pattern and relatively Cumulative which retain undeveloped impacts are catchment larger basins / difficult to assess ecosystems catchments with and manage. services which higher rainfall and regulate limited other There are issues contaminant loads pressures with capacity to and transport and affecting site or limit development catchment within contributing High for condition have the catchments to catchments lowest prevent it dominated by vulnerability to exceeding intensive land use climate change thresholds that and or containing associated result in loss of extensive areas of impacts. biophysical land degradation functional integrity particularly gully and associated erosion. ecosystem service provision. Addressing the poor water quality /high contaminant loads in Great Barrier Reef catchment run-off
Residual vulnerability (Low, medium, high) High Medium Medium High Low for undeveloped basins, extensive land use (grazing) areas and protected areas. High for intensive agricultural lowland areas, population centres and proximal coastal plains / hinterlands. Cumulative impacts are difficult to assess and manage. There are issues with capacity to limit development within contributing catchments to prevent it exceeding thresholds that result in loss of biophysical functional integrity and associated ecosystem service provision. Low for undeveloped basins dominated by extensive land use (grazing) where it is not associated with significant soil erosion, and protected areas. Medium for basins with a variegated land use pattern and which retain catchment ecosystems services which regulate contaminant loads and transport and High for catchments dominated by intensive land use and or containing extensive areas of land degradation particularly gully erosion. Addressing the poor water quality /high contaminant loads in Great Barrier Reef catchment run-off High–very high This vulnerability recognises the current status of global emissions trajectories and likely response time to as yet unimplemented mitigation strategies. Wetlands in relatively undeveloped larger basins / catchments with higher rainfall and limited other pressures affecting site or catchment condition have the lowest vulnerability to climate change associated impacts. Very high