The Economic Impact of Environmental Effects on the Great Barrier Reef

This report investigates the economic consequences of environmental damage, specifically coral bleaching, on the Great Barrier Reef. It examines the impact on tourism, a crucial sector for the Australian economy, and how climate change and other factors contribute to the reef's degradation. The analysis explores the decline in tourist numbers due to negative perceptions and the importance of the reef as a major tourist attraction. The report also highlights policy recommendations, such as fishing restrictions and pollution control, to mitigate the damage and facilitate recovery. The study emphasizes the need for government intervention and positive campaigns to counteract the negative publicity surrounding the reef's health and ensure the sustainability of the tourism industry. The report concludes by emphasizing the link between reef health and economic prosperity, advocating for immediate action to protect this vital natural resource.

Running Head: Australian Great Barrier Reef
The Economic impact of the Environmental Effect on Great Barrier Reef
By (Name)
(Tutor)
(University)
(Date)

Australian Great Barrier Reef 2
The Economic impact of the Environmental Effect on Great Barrier Reef
Introduction
There is an increased need to preserve the coral reefs in Australia owing to its
usefulness in anchoring tourist attraction. Some parts of the Great Barrier Reefs has already been
damage which is destroying the tourists’ perception. A health Reef is attractive as it has rainbow
colors that indicates the presence of life. Some part of the Reef has been observed to lose this
colors and turning white. The bleaching is a great threat to both the aquatic life and to the
Australian economic performance; which subsequently results to elevated mortality rates and
susceptibility to diseases (Reefresilience.org, 2016). The bleaching has been argued by the
scientists to have been ongoing and has taken long and thus the reports made has shown no hope
for recovery.
The climatic changes is the most important factor behind the bleaching of Great
Barrier Reef; since these natural wonders are famous in attracting tourism which is a reliable
source of a country’s income, it is essential for it to be effectively protected (Markham, 2016).
This paper results will show how such impacts result and may be useful in precipitating the
implementation of global and national policy for reef protection. Other economies will learn
from the Australian case and will react before their own situation worsens. The government will
also be able to predict the future economic performance decline of the tourism industry if the
current bleaching event continues. Informed decision will thus be stimulated.
Analysis
Anderson (2016) in his article “Climate change, tourism and the Great Barrier Reef:
what we know” noted that the Great Barrier Reef bleach has had a negative impact on the
Australian tourism industry. For this reason, its entire section was removed from the
international report. The coral bleach of the Great Barrier Reef is attributed to the changes in
climate (Environment.gov.au, 2017). According to Jones (2017), some of the most critical
factors leading to the irritation of the coral are; diseases, water pollution and the rising water
temperatures. There are many tourists who visits Australia to see the Reef. The increased
perception on the bleach has damaged the decision making by many and thus a decline on the
number of tourists. The wide coverage on the issues of the Reef has created a rising world’s
awareness.

Australian Great Barrier Reef 3
The Cairns city in Queensland, Australia has over 2.4 million visitors who flow in
every year to see the Reef. Their annual contribution to this economy is over 3.1 Billion
Australia dollar. The Great Barrier Reef is an anchor to attraction and has resulted in the growth
of this area and that of the nation as a whole (Morgan, 2017). The major challenge facing the
Australian economy is that scientists have broadly reported on the Reef bleach and thus
impacting the tourists decision making. However, the Tour operator Quicksilver has established
a strategy to counter the claims posted by the scientist by providing the Reef’s health report that
acknowledges of the regaining of color by the Reefs upon the cooling of the waters during
winter.
Fig: Tourists visitation to Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Source: Gbrmpa.gov.au (2017)
The number of tourist visiting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park have gone up as can be
observed from the trend above; this is irrespective of whether they are paying the Environmental
Management Charge or not.

Australian Great Barrier Reef 4
Past research has shown that travel decisions are influenced by environmental effects
such as cyclones because they are perceived to damage the natural environment (Marsden,
2016). Little did we know that such events also has a contribution to the coral bleaching event.
Jones (2017) noted that the bleaching of the reefs make the dying of corals and they turn white
and look lifeless.
Recommendation
In order to effectively protect this anchor to tourist attraction, the government should
immediately impose various policies towards its protection. The tourism guides should protect
the Australian tourism industry by showcasing only the part of the reefs that haven’t yet been
damaged. This would ensure that tourists derive satisfaction from their visit. Otherwise, the
number of visitors flowing to Australia to see the Reefs will decline which will result in the
contraction of this economy. The government should impose fishing restrictions on the Reef
since it has been noted to recover with time when the zone is made a no-fishing zone
(Information obtained from other Reefs that have recovered). The government should also
implement policies against water pollution by various industries.
Conclusion
The Great Barrier Reef bleach has already taken place and is hurting the Australian
economy. Tourism being the sector with the highest potential for driving the Australian
economic growth will result in sluggish growth if the bleaching doesn’t cease. The damage on
the tourist perception has also already in place since scientists have reported of the dying Great
Barrier Reef corals on the public domain and thus it’s only a positive campaign by the
government that can help solve this problem. It is not quite clear of the period in which the Reefs
will take to recover but with proper government policies, there is assurance that the recovery is
achievable. The color of the corals is an indicator that policy intervention is important at this
stage.

Australian Great Barrier Reef 5
References
Anderson, A. (2016). Climate change, tourism and the Great Barrier Reef: what we know.
[Online] The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/climate-change-tourism-
and-the-great-barrier-reef-what-we-know-60108 [Accessed 21 Aug. 2017].
Environment.gov.au. (2017). Australia’s biodiversity and climate change. [Online] Available at:
https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/eab369d6-76f9-46c8-beb4-
aaae8ece112e/files/biodiversity-vulnerability-great-barrier-reef.pdf [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017].
Gbrmpa.gov.au. (2017). Tourist visits to the entire marine park. [Online] Available at:
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/visit-the-reef/visitor-contributions/gbr_visitation/numbers/tourist-
visits-to-the-entire-marine-park [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017].
Jones, H. (2017). An underwater investigation of coral bleaching in the South Pacific. [Online]
Time.com. Available at: http://time.com/coral/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017].
Markham, A. (2016). Revealed: report for UNESCO on the Great Barrier Reef that Australia
didn't want world to see. [Online] the Guardian. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/27/revealed-the-report-on-the-great-
barrier-reef-that-australia-didnt-want-the-world-to-see [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017].
Marsden, S. (2016). Transboundary Environmental Governance: Inland, Coastal and Marine
Perspectives. Routledge.
Morgan, J. (2017). Conservation of the Great Barrier Reef Australia. [Online] Wwf.org.au.
Available at: http://www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/oceans/great-barrier-reef#gs.tddsfFE
[Accessed 22 Aug. 2017].
Reefresilience.org. (2016). Bleaching Impacts. [Online] Available at:
http://www.reefresilience.org/coral-reefs/stressors/bleaching/bleaching-impacts/ [Accessed 22
Aug. 2017].