World assessment summary
You are viewing the archived 2015 report.
State
Key finding—Great Barrier Reef World Heritage condition
While the outstanding universal value (OUV) of the Great Barrier Reef remains in good condition, the overall condition of some key attributes is poor and many have deteriorated since its world heritage listing in 1981.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef | No previous report card grade | 50% | n/a |
Pressure
Key finding—Climate change pressure on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
At a reef-wide scale, climate related variables are already having an effect, and are predicted to have an increasing impact on the Great Barrier Reef's outstanding universal value (OUV).
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef | No previous report card grade | 50% | n/a |
Key finding—Coastal development pressure on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
Changes to coastal habitat and reductions in connectivity are having an increasing effect on the Great Barrier Reef's outstanding universal value (OUV).
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef | No previous report card grade | 50% | n/a |
Key finding—Land-based run-off pressure on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
Although declining marine water quality is one of the most significant threats to the Great Barrier Reef, agricultural practices are improving resulting in reductions in land-based run-off entering the region and the resulting impact on the Reef's outstanding universal value (OUV).
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef | No previous report card grade | 100% | n/a |
Key finding—Direct use pressure on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
At a reef-wide scale, direct use of the region is a significant economic contributor and its impact on the Great Barrier Reef's outstanding universal value (OUV) is projected to increase with population growth.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef | No previous report card grade | 100% | n/a |
Key finding—Crown-of-thorns starfish pressure on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
Crown-of-thorns starfish are a major predator of coral. Evidence suggests increased nutrient loads contribute to more frequent outbreaks which result in coral cover decline and deterioration of the Great Barrier Reef's outstanding universal value (OUV).
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef | Trend in report card | 50% | 50% |