The Reef 2050 WQIP review

The Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan (Reef 2050 WQIP) guides how governments, Reef communities, Traditional Owners, industry, and partners work together to improve the quality of water from Reef catchments to the Great Barrier Reef.

A review of the Reef 2050 WQIP is underway. The review provides an opportunity to build on successes and plan for the future, incorporating the knowledge and experience of Reef communities.

The Australian and Queensland governments have committed to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre to finalise the review of the Reef 2050 WQIP by mid-2025, with updated water quality targets to 2030.

Engagement started in early 2024 with a public survey to better understand how Reef communities wanted to be involved in the review. This feedback helped inform the review process and engagement activities.

The process

The Reef 2050 WQIP review will:

celebrate successes and discuss new opportunities for how Reef catchments will be managed in the future to support a healthy Reef
better reflect the connection between the catchment, the Reef and the community.

Four phases of the Reef 2050 WQIP review are outlined below:

Listening phase: we will listen to Reef communities about challenges implementing the current plan, opportunities for the review, successes to date, and future aspirations. Engagement activities included a survey, information seminars and workshops, which ran from May until September 2024.
Drafting phase: we will work with Reef communities to draft new objectives, implementation principles and priority actions for the next Reef 2050 WQIP. Engagement activities may include surveys, workshops and interviews.
Reviewing phase: Reef communities will have the opportunity to review a draft Reef 2050 WQIP and provide feedback. Engagement activities may include surveys, seminars and workshops.
Finalisation: Reef communities will be informed of how their input contributed to a final Reef 2050 WQIP.

Engagement activities will be advertised on the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation’s engagement hub (In the Loop). You can also register to be notified of upcoming events by emailing the officeofthegbr@des.qld.gov.au

In addition to the above engagement process, there are also several components of the Reef 2050 WQIP review being delivered by experts as outlined below.

Update of the Scientific Consensus Statement

The independent 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement (the Statement) delves deep into the science used to understand how activities on the land influence water quality and how water quality affects Reef health.

The Statement was developed between 2022 and 2024 and includes:

demonstrated independence from decision makers
high levels of transparency and rigour in the synthesis methods
assessment of the level of confidence in the findings, and
broad engagement and increased accessibility to the outputs.

The Statement involved 147 authors and reviewers from Australia and overseas and addresses 30 priority questions organised into eight themes.

The questions provide the supporting evidence for the 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement Summary and 2022 Scientific Consensus Statement Conclusions. These outputs, and documents detailing the process can be found on the website.

The Statement is one of a number of inputs contributing to the WQIP review.

Reviewing the water quality targets

Water quality targets are developed for the five main pollutants that impact the Reef – sediment (especially fine sediment), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), particulate nitrogen (PN), particulate phosphorus (PP) and pesticides.

The targets are being reviewed based on the best available scientific and technical knowledge. The review will identify the required reductions in pollutant loads to maintain healthy coral and seagrass. The targets will be set at the catchment, regional and whole-of-Reef scales.

The pesticide target is based on the concentrations required to protect 99% of aquatic species at the river mouth. This reflects the fact that impacts from pesticides are more related to concentrations than loads.

Embedding Traditional Owner science, knowledge, aspirations and grassroots approaches

Implementing Traditional Owner science, knowledge, aspirations and grassroots approaches in the next Reef 2050 WQIP is a crucial part of the review. We are working closely with Traditional Owners to ensure the next Reef 2050 WQIP aligns with the Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Implementation Plan and builds on the extensive work in the Reef space delivered by Traditional Owners to date.

Developing the spatial management prioritisation

The spatial management prioritisation will help prioritise water quality improvement activities and investment based on risks to the Reef. It will incorporate the latest modelling and monitoring information to assess the water quality risks to key coastal and marine ecosystems at a catchment scale.

This work will be integrated with a social and economic assessment, which allows for priorities to reflect local circumstances. This means that catchments with similar targets may have different priorities for action.

Reviewing the land management practice adoption targets for agriculture

This independent review will propose agricultural industry and regional land management practice adoption targets that more directly align with what is needed to achieve the water quality targets.

It is considering what agricultural practices the targets focus on; achievability, profitability and productivity of land management changes; and other existing practice change instruments.

Targets will be proposed for each industry (e.g. sugarcane, grazing, bananas, horticulture and grains production) and at a finer spatial scale (e.g. regional or catchment).

Reviewing the catchment management (ground cover, riparian and wetland extent) targets

The ground cover and riparian vegetation targets aim to minimise rainfall run-off and streambank erosion and reduce erosion and sediment loss. The wetland extent target aims to protect the values of wetlands and the role they play in ensuring ecosystem health.

These targets will be reviewed based on the latest available science including new, higher resolution satellite data.

Reviewing the target for urban land use

Urban and industrial activities contribute only 7% of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen and 1.9% of sediment in run-off flowing to the Reef, but the impact can be locally significant.

This component will focus on urban water management practice levels with regards to development and construction phase activities, stormwater management in established urban areas, and sewage treatment.

Reviewing the human dimensions target

Human dimensions are defined as the social, economic, cultural, institutional and environmental factors that play a role in shaping outcomes associated with water quality and the Great Barrier Reef. These range from aspirations and capacities of landholders, industries and communities to their stewardship practices, as well as broader governance.

A review of the human dimensions target will consider the quality and nature of how communities and land managers are actively engaged in programs and activities to improve water quality.

Collaboration on the Southern Plan of Management

Together with Traditional Owners, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Reef Authority) is developing a new Plan of Management that will cover the southern section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (from south of Midge Point to the southern boundary of the Marine Park).

The Southern Plan of Management will align with the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, which is Australia’s over-arching strategy for managing threats to the Reef. The Southern Plan of Management will complement the management of the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park and island national parks and support the implementation of the next Reef 2050 WQIP. Find out more, including how to get involved, or email SouthernPOM@gbrmpa.gov.au

Factsheet

Download a printable factsheet (PDF, 221.0KB) with this information.