The Australian and Queensland governments are working together to undertake a comprehensive strategic assessment of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the adjacent coastal zone.

The goal is to create an agreed, long-term plan for sustainable development within the Great Barrier Reef Region that provides greater certainty for industry and decision-making in the area, while ensuring the values of the World Heritage Area are protected into the future. 

There are two key components of the comprehensive strategic assessment – a marine component and a coastal component.  The marine and coastal ecosystems are intrinsically linked and their function is inter-related.  Together these components will form a comprehensive strategic assessment of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the adjacent coastal zone. 

• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will lead the marine component which will look at the arrangements in place to manage and protect the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area.
• The Queensland Government will lead the coastal component which will look at coastal development such as planning for urban, industrial and port development and the processes and management arrangements in place to ensure development occurs sustainably and does not impact unacceptably on matters of national environmental significance.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Queensland Government will work together to analyse impacts at the marine/coastal interface from activities such as shipping, water quality  management in reef catchments and island management, with the aim of completing the initiative over the next 18-24 months.

The comprehensive strategic assessment will help us identify, plan for and manage existing and emerging risks to ensure ongoing protection and management of the unique environmental values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and adjacent coastal zone. This will be achieved by:

• investigating the adequacy of the existing management arrangements for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area; and
• assessing current and future planned development in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the adjacent coastal zone and analysing its likely direct, indirect and cumulative impacts. 

The draft Terms of Reference for the Commonwealth and Queensland Marine Park strategic assessments were released for public comment, and final Terms of Reference are currently being developed.