Project 10.2 Final Report - The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area: its ‘value’ to residents and tourists, and the effect of world prices on it

The project was developed in response to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA)'s desire to develop a socio-economic monitoring program. This project is separate but complementary to Project 1 0. 1 (SELTM P), providing additional economic data and modelling/analytical insights.

There are a vast number of variables (or 'indicators') that could, potentially, be monitored. But monitoring is expensive The key problem is thus to identify a set of relevant indicators, that are practical to monitor, and that provide one with information which will help meet one's goals/targets.

The GBRMPA's primary goal is to protect the GBRMP and world heritage area - i.e. to promote reef resilience. So we need to monitor economic indicators that provide information about reef health/resilience. In some situations, it is relatively easy to discern the link between economic indicators and reef resilience, but not always: history abounds with examples of wealthy countries, businesses and individuals who have been environmentally destructive. Knowing that an economy is, or is not 'healthy', does not tell one whether the reef is at risk. To determine that, one needs a better understanding of the interaction between various parts of the economy, and the GBRWHA.