The Reef is highly significant for sustaining cultural and community well-being for over 70 Traditional Owner groups. There is a place for greater emphasis on empowering Traditional Owners, local people, communities and local authorities to deliver on-ground action that will benefit the Reef for all. Response Long term impact It is critical that global warming be stabilised and that the increase in average temperature above preindustrial levels be kept as low as possible. Global agreement reached in Paris (COP21) aimed to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. After Paris, non-binding nationally determined contributions to greenhouse gas emission reduction were declared by each country. Projections indicate that even if the currently proposed national commitments are achieved, global surface temperatures will increase between 2.1°C and 3.7°C pre-industrial levels by the end of this century well outside the aspiration of COP21. – The present level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has already locked in a further increase in temperature over and above the present ~0.9°C above the pre-industrial average. In the interests of the Reef and other reefs and their ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced to a level that gives some realistic chance to keep the average global surface temperature increase to well below 2°C possibly even lower than 1.5°C. – National targets for emission reductions, including Australia’s, are not adequate to meet the aspiration of Australia should be prominent lead the international movement to set realistic emissions targets to at least meet the COP21 goals. It should be noted: COP21 temperature targets are too high for sea surface temperatures to be kept within safe limits for tropical reefs. To protect current reef biodiversity global average temperature rise would need to be limited to ~1.2°C lower than even the ~1.5 °C that is the low end of the COP21 aspiration. Areas where corals have adapted should be identified and actively managed to protect their biodiversity in the face of future stresses. Immediate to short-term impact The Reef 2050 Plan is a strong foundation for future action. The mid-term review of the Reef 2050 Plan provides an opportunity to strengthen and revise the Plan to support the management of a fundamentally different Reef. The Plan’s objective of maintaining, enhancing and restoring the Reef’s historical values may no longer be achievable.
The Reef is highly significant for sustaining cultural and community well-being for over 70 Traditional Owner groups. There is a place for greater emphasis on empowering Traditional Owners, local people, communities and local authorities to deliver on-ground action that will benefit the Reef for all. Response Long term impact It is critical that global warming be stabilised and that the increase in average temperature above preindustrial levels be kept as low as possible. Global agreement reached in Paris (COP21) aimed to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. After Paris, non-binding nationally determined contributions to greenhouse gas emission reduction were declared by each country. Projections indicate that even if the currently proposed national commitments are achieved, global surface temperatures will increase between 2.1°C and 3.7°C pre-industrial levels by the end of this century – well outside the aspiration of COP21. The present level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has already locked in a further increase in temperature over and above the present ~0.9°C above the pre-industrial average. In the interests of the Reef and other reefs and their ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced to a level that gives some realistic chance to keep the average global surface temperature increase to well below 2°C – possibly even lower than 1.5°C. National targets for emission reductions, including Australia’s, are not adequate to meet the aspiration of Australia should be prominent lead the international movement to set realistic emissions targets to at least meet the COP21 goals. It should be noted: COP21 temperature targets are too high for sea surface temperatures to be kept within safe limits for tropical reefs. To protect current reef biodiversity global average temperature rise would need to be limited to ~1.2°C lower than even the ~1.5 °C that is the low end of the COP21 aspiration. Areas where corals have adapted should be identified and actively managed to protect their biodiversity in the face of future stresses. Immediate to short-term impact The Reef 2050 Plan is a strong foundation for future action. The mid-term review of the Reef 2050 Plan provides an opportunity to strengthen and revise the Plan to support the management of a fundamentally different Reef. The Plan’s objective of maintaining, enhancing and restoring the Reef’s historical values may no longer be achievable.
iep-advice-responding-mass-coral-bleaching-gbr.docx