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COMPREHENSIVE "risk mapping" costing millions of dollars is needed to help save the Great Barrier Reef, a leading marine scientist says.
The Great Barrier Reef Research Foundation's Russell Reichelt said an important gap in knowledge must be filled for the reef to survive.
"There are so many variations around how coral bleaching impacts from place to place, at different depths and locations, and on individual reefs," he said.
His comments followed predictions, reported in The Age yesterday, that the reef faced "functional extinction" by the middle of the century.
The prediction was in a draft international report on climate change.
In response, conservationists, scientists and the National Farmers Federation have called for tougher government action on climate change.
"If we had a risk map, we could have a more sophisticated strategy to save the reef than we have now," Dr Reichelt said.
"We are talking about millions of dollars to create a map of several layers, similar to a geographic information system. It is quite difficult science we want to make a map of 350,000 square kilometres of world heritage area."
A spokesman for the Climate Institute said time was running out for politicians to introduce binding policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
"The projected severe impacts of climate change on Australia are not predetermined," an adviser to the institute, Erwin Jackson, said.
"It requires bold leadership from all levels of government to begin to switch Australia to clean energy."
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and Greens climate spokeswoman Christine Milne accused Prime Minister John Howard of having been "missing in action" on climate change for the past decade. Mr Rudd said the Government should introduce a national emissions trading system.
Great Barrier Reef facts and figures
■ 1.4 million tourists visited the reef in 2006.
■ The reef is home to more than 1500 fish species 10 per cent of the world's species and 360 hard coral species.
■ It consists of 2900 separate reefs along 2300 kilometres of Queensland's coast.
■ It contributes $5.8 billion annually to Australia's economy, including:
$5.1 billion from tourists
$610 million from recreation
$149 million from commercial fishing.
■ It generates about 63,000 jobs a year.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/natio...at-barrier-reef/2007/01/30/1169919337167.html
The Great Barrier Reef Research Foundation's Russell Reichelt said an important gap in knowledge must be filled for the reef to survive.
"There are so many variations around how coral bleaching impacts from place to place, at different depths and locations, and on individual reefs," he said.
His comments followed predictions, reported in The Age yesterday, that the reef faced "functional extinction" by the middle of the century.
The prediction was in a draft international report on climate change.
In response, conservationists, scientists and the National Farmers Federation have called for tougher government action on climate change.
"If we had a risk map, we could have a more sophisticated strategy to save the reef than we have now," Dr Reichelt said.
"We are talking about millions of dollars to create a map of several layers, similar to a geographic information system. It is quite difficult science we want to make a map of 350,000 square kilometres of world heritage area."
A spokesman for the Climate Institute said time was running out for politicians to introduce binding policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
"The projected severe impacts of climate change on Australia are not predetermined," an adviser to the institute, Erwin Jackson, said.
"It requires bold leadership from all levels of government to begin to switch Australia to clean energy."
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and Greens climate spokeswoman Christine Milne accused Prime Minister John Howard of having been "missing in action" on climate change for the past decade. Mr Rudd said the Government should introduce a national emissions trading system.
Great Barrier Reef facts and figures
■ 1.4 million tourists visited the reef in 2006.
■ The reef is home to more than 1500 fish species 10 per cent of the world's species and 360 hard coral species.
■ It consists of 2900 separate reefs along 2300 kilometres of Queensland's coast.
■ It contributes $5.8 billion annually to Australia's economy, including:
$5.1 billion from tourists
$610 million from recreation
$149 million from commercial fishing.
■ It generates about 63,000 jobs a year.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/natio...at-barrier-reef/2007/01/30/1169919337167.html
