For those who were unable to attend our event in Brisbane earlier this month, you can watch a video of our esteemed panelists discussing whether we are doing enough to save the Great Barrier Reef, you can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6nKfbAywx8
Join Professor Richard Kingsford, President of the SCB Oceania section, as he facilitates the debate with Carole Sweatman, Chief Executive Officer of the Terrain Natural Resource Management (Wet Tropics), Sean Hoobin, Freshwater Policy Manager for WWF-Australia, and Distinguished Professor Terry Hughes, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
Our panel members come from a variety of walks of life, all integrally involved in charting a sustainable Great Barrier Reef for future generations, supported by science. The panel will be moderated by Professor Richard Kingsford, President of the Society for Conservation Biology in Oceania.
Sean Hoobin, Policy Manager Freshwater WWF-Australia
Sean has 20 years of experience working on natural resource management, specialising in water challenges ranging from the Murray-Darling Basin to addressing urban water cycle management during the Millennium Drought and run-off to the Great Barrier Reef. He is currently working on the challenges of cutting catchment pollution running off into the Great Barrier Reef. This is just one of many threats to this international conservation icon, which also include climate change, industrialisation and unsustainable fishing practices. He is concerned about government promises to reach clean water targets to the Reef by 2025, given the lack of substance for delivery. This includes commitments to the World Heritage Committee to fund actions under the Reef 2050 Plan. He believes that we can take actions to restore reef health but it requires investment and bold new programs.
Terry Hughes, Distinguished Professor at James Cook University (Townsville)
Terry is the Director of the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, headquartered at James Cook University in Townsville. Terry was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences in 2001. He has been awarded many prizes, including the prestigious Darwin Medal of the International Society for Coral Reef Studies in 2008. In 2014, he was awarded an Einstein Professorship by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Terry has studied the Great Barrier Reef for longer than he cares to remember, and has witnessed firsthand how it has continued to be impacted by dredging, pollution and climate change. A recurrent theme in his studies is the application of new scientific knowledge towards improving management of marine environments, especially in Australia.
Carole Sweatman, Chief Executive Officer of Terrain Natural Resource Management (Wet Tropics)
Carole is the Chief Executive Officer of Terrain NRM, a not for profit organization that supports natural resource management (NRM) in the Wet Tropics. It works with the community, governments and farmers for the health of our natural and cultural resources and rural livelihoods, with a major focus on the future of the Great Barrier Reef. Terrain works successfully with farmers to improve water quality to the Great Barrier Reef. Carole is committed to involving communities and governments in solutions to the sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef.
