- Government's own climate adviser has called on Australia to step up more to tackle climate change.
- Australia's credibility as COP31 co-host on the line – no new fossil fuels, strong 2035 target needed.
- Summer of mass bleaching, marine heatwaves and algal bloom shows climate change pushing ocean ecosystems to breaking point.
The Climate Change Authority – the federal government's own independent climate adviser – has today warned that without far deeper and faster cuts to fossil fuel pollution, the Great Barrier Reef's future will be measured in years, not generations, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said.
The new report, Understanding climate threats to the Great Barrier Reef, urges stronger 2035 emissions target and warns Australia's credibility as COP31 co-host hinges on genuine domestic action.
The warning comes after a summer of extreme marine heatwaves that triggered the sixth mass bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef in just nine years. Bleaching also struck West Australia's Ningaloo Reef, while a devastating algal bloom crisis grips South Australia's coast – stark signs that climate change is pushing ocean ecosystems to breaking point.
Dr Lissa Schindler, Great Barrier Reef Campaign Manager said: "When the government's own climate advisers sound the alarm on the Reef, it should be a wake-up call for the Prime Minister. This isn't just more commentary – it's a clear warning from the experts entrusted to guide Australia's climate policy. The question is: will the Australian Government act on its own expert advice?
"The Climate Change Authority makes it clear that if Australia wants to co-host COP31 and be seen as a global leader, we need to walk the talk. That means no new fossil fuel approvals and a strong 2035 emissions target.
"The Great Barrier Reef is still an amazing place to visit – and we can still save it. But that will only happen if we slash fossil fuel emissions, stop opening new coal and gas projects and supercharge clean energy. Every delay takes us further from a future where our kids can experience the wonder of the reef as we know it.
"Australia has a choice: a living reef that supports generations to come or short term profits from new fossil fuels – it can't have both.
"The single most important step to protect the Reef is for Australia to cut climate pollution by 90% by 2035 and end approvals for new coal and gas projects. Unless we tackle the root cause, the Reef's long‑term health and resilience will be lost.
"The September climate target review is Australia's chance to prove it will do what it takes to save the Reef. Anything less than reef‑safe climate policies puts this World Heritage icon, and the communities and tourism it supports, at grave risk."
