The Great Barrier Reef is home to 6 out of the world's 7 turtle sepcies and over thirty species of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. Mast Head Island, Queensland, Australia.
A manta ray swims off Heron Island research center. Manta rays are notoriously difficult to study and no real estimates exist for how many are left in the wild. Queensland, Australia.
Fish being fed whilst tourists snorkel off the coast of Cairns. Tourism is one of the largest industries on the Great Barrier Reef and many argue it's future is threatened by on-shore industry. Queensland, Australia.
Tourism operations are allowed to feed up to 1kg of fish per day, with scientists claiming minimal impact. For every tourist that visits the reef, operators are required to pay an environmental charge, used to help protect it. Queensland, Australia.
Tourists on Whitehaven beach in the Whitsundays. Whitehaven beach's famous white colour is the result of the sand being 98% silica. Queensland, Australia.
Tourists on Whitehaven beach in the Whitsundays. Whitehaven beach's famous white colour is the result of the sand being 98% silica. Queensland, Australia.
The Fitzroy Delta is the largest delta flowing into the Great Barrier Reef. Shallow waters and mangroves play critical roles in stopping pesticides and sediment. Queensland, Australia.
Ships wait off-shore from Hay Point coal terminal, currently the largest coal terminal in Queensland. It is a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi and services coal mines form the Bowen Basin. Queensland, Australia.
A coal fired power station in Queensland Australia. Australia has a small domestic market for coal but 85% is exported, predominantly to India. Queensland, Australia.
Freight ships off Gladstone harbour. Environmentalists are fighting to ban all large ships in Great Barrier Reef waters after a Chinese coal ship ran aground causing enormous damage to two miles of reef in 2010. Queensland, Australia.
Freight ships off Gladstone harbour. Environmentalists are fighting to ban all large ships in Great Barrier Reef waters after a Chinese coal ship ran aground causing enormous damage to two miles of reef in 2010. Queensland, Australia.
Cane fires burning in Queensland. Fires release nutrients back into the soil. The sugar industry’s environmental improvements include reducing crop burning. Mount Inkerman, Queensland, Australia.
A cattle farm seen from above. Cattle farming impacts the reef as a result of the removal of riparian vegetation and the physical removal of riverside soil by cattle trampling to the river for water. Queensland, Australia.
A crown of Thorns Starfish is injected with a toxin developed at James Cook University. Previous techniques required injecting every arm to ensure one didn't spawn a new starfish. Killing them is now possible with one injection. Cairns, Australia.
Libby edge, a turtle specialist from Arlie Beach, inspects a green turtle that has died from 'float'. A bloating disease which stops the turtle diving and leaves them vulnerable to boat strikes and unable to feed. Queensland, Australia.
Aaron Chai is conducting research into coral climate resilience. On Heron Island he created microcosms to test the effects of future scenarios. His findings suggest at current CO2 levels, the Great Barrier Reef will be gone in less than 100 years.
Tony Fontes, a dive instructor in the Whitsunday Islands, says his business is being impacted by the coal industry and is concerned about UNESCO's threat to remove the Great Barrier Reef's World Heritage Status. Queensland, Australia.
Staff at Cairns Marine Aquarium arrange coral under flourescent lights. Cairns marine are another example of a business making sustainable profit from the Barrier Reef. Cairns, Australia.
A shovel nosed shark takes off in the waters around Heron Island. Originally identified as a shark on account of its prominent dorsal fin, the shovelnose is know classified in the ray family. Queensland, Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef has long enjoyed world heritage status and has been synonymous with diving, tourism and with Australia. But in June of this year UNESCO threatened to downgrade the Great Barrier Reef to the world heritage ‘in danger’ list; a category populated predominantly by war-torn and developing nations. The final decision will be made in February 2015.
UNESCO’s concerns are focused on the issue of industrial development along the reef. Queensland has one of the largest deposits of coal and with developed markets slowly turning their back on dirty energy there’s huge momentum to dig it up and ship it out as fast as possible, before falling prices make it no longer viable. Doing this requires unprecedented amounts of dredging, both to expand existing coal ports and create new ones, many inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Dredging is problematic for a few reasons. Firstly it digs up seagrass meadows, removing valuable grazing areas for dugongs and turtles. Secondly it creates a toxic soup of heavy metals which can severely impact on the health of marine life. And lastly, the dredge spoils are then dumped back onto the reef and can travel for miles up the coast, clogging coral polyps and smothering entire reef systems.
The Great Barrier Reef is unique in that most of its threats come in the form of onshore industry. Before the recent push to expand coal ports, the main industry in the firing line was agriculture. Rainwater falls inland and travels across farms, picking up pesticides and fertilisers, which are then washed down the rivers, through deltas and out onto the reef. Of particular note is the relationship between increased nitrogen in the water and the catalysing of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) cycles. Traditionally COTS would spawn on the north of the reef around Cairns once every 20 years or so, but in recent years the number of these starfish, whose primary food source is coral, has spiralled out of control. Boats specifically tasked with eradicating them are now patrolling the reef.
Agriculture, however, has taken huge strides forward, in both accepting its responsibility for deteriorating water quality, and in trying to do something about it. Farmers, state government and conservation groups such as WWF, have been working together to develop new farming methods that limit the run-off from farms and, in doing so, also help farmers’ businesses. The tourism industry, which is one of the largest employers in Queensland, bringing in $6 billion annually, is also actively engaged in trying to protect the reef. For every tourist who visits the reef, tour operators pay an environmental management charge, which ostensibly goes to ensure the reef is protected. Understandably, both tourism operators and farmers feel there’s a real equity issue on the reef. They are making sacrifices, both practical and financial, to protect the reef’s natural capital and the sustainability of their businesses, whilst the coal export industry is dumping millions of tonnes of dredge spoil onto the reef and receiving tax incentives for the privilege.
The recently released Living Planet Report echoes the voices of people I met on the Great Barrier Reef. Government policy moves too slowly and with the pressure of climate change threatening to wipe out the reef within the next 100 years, global industry stewardship is the only solution. The Great Barrier Reef is more than capable of generating enormous annual revenue sustainably. But if our financial and ecological decisions remain unaligned, everyone stands to lose. And what’s at stake is much more than just world heritage status.
All images and text copyright James Morgan / WWF – Canon
The Great Barrier Reef is home to 6 out of the world's 7 turtle sepcies and over thirty species of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. Mast Head Island, Queensland, Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to 6 out of the world's 7 turtle sepcies and over thirty species of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. Mast Head Island, Queensland, Australia.
Fish being fed whilst tourists snorkel off the coast of Cairns. Tourism is one of the largest industries on the Great Barrier Reef and many argue it's future is threatened by on-shore industry. Queensland, Australia.
Fish being fed whilst tourists snorkel off the coast of Cairns. Tourism is one of the largest industries on the Great Barrier Reef and many argue it's future is threatened by on-shore industry. Queensland, Australia.
A Humphead Maori Wrasse visits tourists at a floating platform on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
A Humphead Maori Wrasse visits tourists at a floating platform on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
A young girl looks out from a submersible room suspedned over the barrier reef. Queensland, Australia.
A young girl looks out from a submersible room suspedned over the barrier reef. Queensland, Australia.
Tourism operations are allowed to feed up to 1kg of fish per day, with scientists claiming minimal impact. For every tourist that visits the reef, operators are required to pay an environmental charge, used to help protect it. Queensland, Australia.
Tourism operations are allowed to feed up to 1kg of fish per day, with scientists claiming minimal impact. For every tourist that visits the reef, operators are required to pay an environmental charge, used to help protect it. Queensland, Australia.
Tourists on Whitehaven beach in the Whitsundays. Whitehaven beach's famous white colour is the result of the sand being 98% silica. Queensland, Australia.
Tourists on Whitehaven beach in the Whitsundays. Whitehaven beach's famous white colour is the result of the sand being 98% silica. Queensland, Australia.
Tourists on Whitehaven beach in the Whitsundays. Whitehaven beach's famous white colour is the result of the sand being 98% silica. Queensland, Australia.
Tourists on Whitehaven beach in the Whitsundays. Whitehaven beach's famous white colour is the result of the sand being 98% silica. Queensland, Australia.
The Fitzroy Delta is the largest delta flowing into the Great Barrier Reef. Shallow waters and mangroves play critical roles in stopping pesticides and sediment. Queensland, Australia.
The Fitzroy Delta is the largest delta flowing into the Great Barrier Reef. Shallow waters and mangroves play critical roles in stopping pesticides and sediment. Queensland, Australia.
Ships wait off-shore from Hay Point coal terminal, currently the largest coal terminal in Queensland. It is a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi and services coal mines form the Bowen Basin. Queensland, Australia.
Ships wait off-shore from Hay Point coal terminal, currently the largest coal terminal in Queensland. It is a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi and services coal mines form the Bowen Basin. Queensland, Australia.
A coal fired power station in Queensland Australia. Australia has a small domestic market for coal but 85% is exported, predominantly to India. Queensland, Australia.
A coal fired power station in Queensland Australia. Australia has a small domestic market for coal but 85% is exported, predominantly to India. Queensland, Australia.
Freight ships off Gladstone harbour. Environmentalists are fighting to ban all large ships in Great Barrier Reef waters after a Chinese coal ship ran aground causing enormous damage to two miles of reef in 2010. Queensland, Australia.
Freight ships off Gladstone harbour. Environmentalists are fighting to ban all large ships in Great Barrier Reef waters after a Chinese coal ship ran aground causing enormous damage to two miles of reef in 2010. Queensland, Australia.
There are an estimated 100,000 farms in Queensland, minimising their impact is critical to protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Australia.
There are an estimated 100,000 farms in Queensland, minimising their impact is critical to protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Australia.
Freight ships off Gladstone harbour. Environmentalists are fighting to ban all large ships in Great Barrier Reef waters after a Chinese coal ship ran aground causing enormous damage to two miles of reef in 2010. Queensland, Australia.
Freight ships off Gladstone harbour. Environmentalists are fighting to ban all large ships in Great Barrier Reef waters after a Chinese coal ship ran aground causing enormous damage to two miles of reef in 2010. Queensland, Australia.
Cane fires burning in Queensland. Fires release nutrients back into the soil. The sugar industry’s environmental improvements include reducing crop burning. Mount Inkerman, Queensland, Australia.
Cane fires burning in Queensland. Fires release nutrients back into the soil. The sugar industry’s environmental improvements include reducing crop burning. Mount Inkerman, Queensland, Australia.
Cane harvesting in Queensland, Australia.
Cane harvesting in Queensland, Australia.
Gery Deguara harvesting sugarcane in Queensland, Australia.
Gery Deguara harvesting sugarcane in Queensland, Australia.
A cattle farm seen from above. Cattle farming impacts the reef as a result of the removal of riparian vegetation and the physical removal of riverside soil by cattle trampling to the river for water. Queensland, Australia.
A cattle farm seen from above. Cattle farming impacts the reef as a result of the removal of riparian vegetation and the physical removal of riverside soil by cattle trampling to the river for water. Queensland, Australia.
A crown of Thorns Starfish is injected with a toxin developed at James Cook University. Previous techniques required injecting every arm to ensure one didn't spawn a new starfish. Killing them is now possible with one injection. Cairns, Australia.
A crown of Thorns Starfish is injected with a toxin developed at James Cook University. Previous techniques required injecting every arm to ensure one didn't spawn a new starfish. Killing them is now possible with one injection. Cairns, Australia.
Libby edge, a turtle specialist from Arlie Beach, inspects a green turtle that has died from 'float'. A bloating disease which stops the turtle diving and leaves them vulnerable to boat strikes and unable to feed. Queensland, Australia.
Libby edge, a turtle specialist from Arlie Beach, inspects a green turtle that has died from 'float'. A bloating disease which stops the turtle diving and leaves them vulnerable to boat strikes and unable to feed. Queensland, Australia.
Aaron Chai is conducting research into coral climate resilience. On Heron Island he created microcosms to test the effects of future scenarios. His findings suggest at current CO2 levels, the Great Barrier Reef will be gone in less than 100 years.
Aaron Chai is conducting research into coral climate resilience. On Heron Island he created microcosms to test the effects of future scenarios. His findings suggest at current CO2 levels, the Great Barrier Reef will be gone in less than 100 years.
Tony Fontes, a dive instructor in the Whitsunday Islands, says his business is being impacted by the coal industry and is concerned about UNESCO's threat to remove the Great Barrier Reef's World Heritage Status. Queensland, Australia.
Tony Fontes, a dive instructor in the Whitsunday Islands, says his business is being impacted by the coal industry and is concerned about UNESCO's threat to remove the Great Barrier Reef's World Heritage Status. Queensland, Australia.
Staff at Cairns Marine Aquarium arrange coral under flourescent lights. Cairns marine are another example of a business making sustainable profit from the Barrier Reef. Cairns, Australia.
Staff at Cairns Marine Aquarium arrange coral under flourescent lights. Cairns marine are another example of a business making sustainable profit from the Barrier Reef. Cairns, Australia.
A shovel nosed shark takes off in the waters around Heron Island. Originally identified as a shark on account of its prominent dorsal fin, the shovelnose is know classified in the ray family. Queensland, Australia.
A shovel nosed shark takes off in the waters around Heron Island. Originally identified as a shark on account of its prominent dorsal fin, the shovelnose is know classified in the ray family. Queensland, Australia.
A manta ray swims off Heron Island research center. Manta rays are notoriously difficult to study and no real estimates exist for how many are left in the wild. Queensland, Australia.
A manta ray swims off Heron Island research center. Manta rays are notoriously difficult to study and no real estimates exist for how many are left in the wild. Queensland, Australia.
