Editing Great Barrier Reef (section)

== Protection and preservation: Reef 2050 plan ==
{{further|Natural Heritage Trust}}
In March 2015, the Australian and [[Government of Queensland|Queensland's governments]] formed a plan for the protection and preservation of the reef's universal heritage until 2050. This 35 years plan, titled "Reef 2050 Plan" is a document proposing possible measures for the long-term management of the pollution, climate change and other issues that threaten the life span and value of this global heritage. The plan contains all the elements for measurement and improvements, including; long-term sustainability plan, water quality improvement plan and the investment plan for the protection and preservation of The Reef until 2050.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/long-term-sustainability-plan |title=The Reef 2050 Plan |date=July 2018 |website=Department of the Environment and Energy |publisher=[[Australian Government]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304225814/http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/long-term-sustainability-plan |archive-date=4 March 2018 |url-status=live |access-date=18 April 2018 }}</ref>

However, whereas the 2050 plan aims to incorporate protective measures such as improving water quality, reef restoration, killing of predatory starfish, it does not incorporate additional measures to address what may be the root cause the problem – climate change, which is caused by greenhouse gas emissions. As such, experts doubted whether it would be enough to save the fragile environment.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/great-barrier-reef-investment-save-coral-reefs-australia-2018-4 |title=Half of the Great Barrier Reef has died since 2016 – but Australia's $400&nbsp;million attempt to save it does not address the main problem |last=Loria |first=Kevin |date=1 May 2018 |work=Business Insider |access-date=1 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521211116/http://uk.businessinsider.com/great-barrier-reef-investment-save-coral-reefs-australia-2018-4 |archive-date=21 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/25/great-barrier-reef-2050-plan-no-longer-achievable-due-to-climate-change-experts-say |title=Great Barrier Reef 2050 plan no longer achievable due to climate change, experts say |last=Slezak |first=Michael |date=25 May 2017 |work=The Guardian (Australia) |access-date=1 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828120136/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/25/great-barrier-reef-2050-plan-no-longer-achievable-due-to-climate-change-experts-say |archive-date=28 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Another issue is that the time left to the 1.5&nbsp;°C warming threshold (the temperature limit that coral reefs can still cope with<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/07/climate/ipcc-report-half-degree.html,%20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/07/climate/ipcc-report-half-degree.html |title=Why Half a Degree of Global Warming Is a Big Deal |last1=Plumer |first1=Brad |date=7 October 2018 |work=The New York Times |access-date=1 February 2020 |last2=Popovich |first2=Nadja |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref>) is very limited.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://theconversation.com/the-climate-clock-counting-down-to-1-5-107498 |title=The Climate Clock: Counting down to 1.5°C |last1=Peters |first1=Glen |last2=Matthews |first2=H. Damon |website=The Conversation |language=en |access-date=1 February 2020 |last3=Allen |first3=Myles |last4=Forster |first4=Piers |date=5 December 2018 |archive-date=24 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224053506/https://theconversation.com/the-climate-clock-counting-down-to-1-5-107498 |url-status=live }}</ref>

As part of the Reef 2050 plan, an AUD$443&nbsp;million grant was given to the [[Great Barrier Reef Foundation]] in 2018. The announcement of the grant was subject to backlash as the grant had avoided proper tender and transparency processes.

=== Conservation Policy: Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan ===
The Great Barrier Reef contributes to the overall wellbeing of the marine biome.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Osborne |first1=Kate |last2=Dolman |first2=Andrew M. |last3=Burgess |first3=Scott C. |last4=Johns |first4=Kerryn A. |date=10 March 2011 |title=Disturbance and the Dynamics of Coral Cover on the Great Barrier Reef (1995–2009) |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=e17516 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0017516 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=3053361 |pmid=21423742 |bibcode=2011PLoSO...617516O |doi-access=free }}</ref>  Numerous species of aquatic plants, fish and megafauna use the reef for feeding, shelter and mating.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Brodie |first1=Jon |last2=Pearson |first2=Richard G. |date=20 December 2016 |title=Ecosystem health of the Great Barrier Reef: Time for effective management action based on evidence |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771416301469 |journal=Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science |series=Sustainability of Future Coasts and Estuaries |language=en |volume=183 |pages=438–451 |doi=10.1016/j.ecss.2016.05.008 |bibcode=2016ECSS..183..438B |issn=0272-7714 |access-date=18 May 2022 |archive-date=25 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925221100/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771416301469 |url-status=live }}</ref>  Threats such as [[ocean acidification]], pollution runoff and outbreaks of destructive species like the [[crown-of-thorns starfish]] have brought about the decline of this ecosystem.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Water Quality |url=https://www.barrierreef.org/what-we-do/reef-trust-partnership/water-quality-improvement |access-date=18 May 2022 |website=Great Barrier Reef Foundation |language=en |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518004956/https://www.barrierreef.org/what-we-do/reef-trust-partnership/water-quality-improvement |url-status=live }}</ref> These threats to the reef are not only a danger to the organisms inhabiting it, but also the economy of this region, a large part of which relies on revenue from ecotourism of the Great Barrier Reef.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Biggs |first1=D. |last2=Ban |first2=N. C. |last3=Hall |first3=C. M. |date=December 2012 |title=Lifestyle values, resilience, and nature-based tourism's contribution to conservation on Australia's Great Barrier Reef |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-conservation/article/abs/lifestyle-values-resilience-and-naturebased-tourisms-contribution-to-conservation-on-australias-great-barrier-reef/771734FF5DEC61D8BD9E75D8F8D1E8B4 |journal=Environmental Conservation |language=en |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=370–379 |doi=10.1017/S0376892912000239 |bibcode=2012EnvCo..39..370B |s2cid=86525986 |issn=0376-8929 |access-date=18 May 2022 |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518195944/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-conservation/article/abs/lifestyle-values-resilience-and-naturebased-tourisms-contribution-to-conservation-on-australias-great-barrier-reef/771734FF5DEC61D8BD9E75D8F8D1E8B4 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Australian Government|Australian government]] has had the goal of protecting this World Heritage Site since 1972 when they created The Australian Institute of Marine Science.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Science and the Great Barrier Reef – DAWE |url=https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/publications/factsheet-science-and-great-barrier-reef |access-date=18 May 2022 |website=www.awe.gov.au |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518195944/https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/publications/factsheet-science-and-great-barrier-reef |url-status=live }}</ref> The Australian and Queensland governments have contributed about $142.5 million to their National Environmental Science Program which is how they've collected much of their data regarding threats to the Great Barrier Reef.<ref name=":02"/> In addition, the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan was announced in 2018 in order to help transition local communities, agricultural organizations and industries to more sustainable practices.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Managing and protecting the Great Barrier Reef – DAWE |url=https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/protecting-the-reef |access-date=18 May 2022 |website=www.awe.gov.au |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518004955/https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/protecting-the-reef |url-status=live }}</ref>  This plan will join the Queensland government and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to manage the amounts of runoff that reach the Great Barrier Reef as well as mitigating crown-of-thorns starfish population flare-ups.<ref name=":3" />