#065 Keeping Coral

Regenerating coral reef communities & livelihoods, with the global Resilient Reefs Initiative

The RegenNarration is back at the magnificent Ningaloo Reef for a couple of firsts - the first conversation in person for the year, and a world first collaboration aiming for the survival of the world’s coral reefs, and the communities that depend on them.

Dr Peter Barnes is the Marine Park Coordinator at Ningaloo Reef – one of five World Heritage listed coral reefs. Australia is blessed with the responsibility for two of these – the other being the Great Barrier Reef – which only serves to heighten the importance of the work Peter and co. are doing here. One of Peter’s newest colleagues is Joel Johnsson. Joel is the Chief Resilience Officer recently appointed at Ningaloo for the global Resilient Reefs Initiative.

“The thesis of resilience is a lot broader than that. So it’s not necessarily saying we want to retain a certain static system, or a certain value. It’s more about wanting to make these systems that we enjoy and live within - our social systems, our eco-systems - adaptable and resilient to change regardless of what that might be.”

— Joel Johnsson

Of course, coral reefs have been resilient systems for ages, inter-woven with traditional cultures. But the scale of damaging human impact is now jeopardising their existence. Even at 1.5 degrees global warming, the IPCC expects the coral reefs of the world would be largely wiped out. In other words, even the best-case target set by the Paris agreement would risk the annihilation of some of the world’s greatest wonders. And one of its greatest generators of human wellbeing, prosperity and meaning.

In that context, the Resilient Reefs Initiative is taking a holistic approach – with people at its heart. How can human communities and agencies recreate the way we live with coral reefs, to enhance the resilience of the whole?

We’ll need greenhouse gas emission targets met in accordance with the Paris agreement, for a start. And in all likelihood the carbon drawdown efforts we’ve been talking about on this podcast, with regenerative agriculture and other holistic management practices. Alongside these efforts, the timing and delivery of Resilient Reefs is seen as critical to the survival of the world’s coral reefs, and the enormous variety of human and other life that thrives with them. And you’ll hear some breaking news on how the traditional custodians remain central to it.

To talk about it, Pete, Joel and I sat down at Jansz Beach, overlooking Ningaloo.

With thanks to the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions for enabling this conversation.

The pics of Ningaloo Reef below are all by Joel Johnsson, except for the one of (L-R) Joel, Dr Peter Barnes and me, which was taken by Olivia Cheng at Jansz Beach.