Climate change was identified in the 2009 Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report as a threat to the Great Barrier Reef. In order to address this threat, the Great Barrier Reef Climate Change Action Plan 2007-2012 was developed. While the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has a range of management tools and regulatory mechanisms to manage the reef, these tools do not currently address either climate change adaptation or greenhouse gas mitigation.
The Environmental Assessment and Management (EAM) group within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is responsible for permitting activities in accordance with the Great Barrier Reef Zoning Plan, managing joint permit arrangements with the Queensland Government and implementing policy and plans of management. The EAM group also provides strategic advice in relation to major projects that cross the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area boundary. The EAM group does not however, have a current policy on how to assess and manage climate change impacts and greenhouse gas emission.
RPS has been selected to assist the EAM group identify and scope options to manage climate change impacts, both in the form of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, to better protect the Great Barrier Reef and stakeholder interests.

This project will guide the incorporation of climate change management measures into the core business of the EAM group, and lead to Environmental Impact Assessment processes that target climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The project is strategically important to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and it will hopefully enable RPS to deliver the subsequent stages of the project. Climate Change and Sustainability Technical Director, Andrew Zuch, is confident that we will be able to leverage this project to other environment approvals systems nationally and potentially internationally, especially where it relates to sensitive natural environments.

Contact:
Andrew Zuch
T: +61 7 3237 8899 E: andrew.zuch@rpsgroup.com.au

Thumbnail picture by Alexander Rist. Article images by Rick Hawkins.