Thursday 3 November 2005

Climate change experts from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GRBMPA) and University of Queensland will brief marine tourism operators in Cairns today (Thursday 3 November 2005).

Industry leaders from Cairns, Port Douglas, the Whitsundays, Mackay and Townsville and policy makers will come together as part of the one-day Marine Tourism Leaders Forum on Climate Change.

GBRMPA Executive Director Andrew Skeat said the forum aimed to identify how tourism operators may be affected by, and could respond to, climate change.

“This is an excellent opportunity to work with local marine tourism operators to plan for the future of their operations in the face of climate change,” he said.

“Climate change is posing an emerging threat to the Great Barrier Reef and, in turn, the industries and regional communities that depend on the reef.

“The reef tourism industry contributes approximately $5.1 billion annually to the economy, and we aim to identify ways to support resilience of the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry.”

The forum includes a number of formal presentations and brainstorming sessions, with the latter to outline how operators can plan for and respond to climate change.

Speakers include climate change experts Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg from the University of Queensland and insurance expert Elayne Grace, head of Insurance Group Australia.

High water temperature triggers coral bleaching and has many long-term implications for the reef.

This includes the potential to affect seabirds, turtles, invertebrates, plankton and fish.

It could also impact on ecosystem function through changes in sea level, currents, upwelling and reef structure.