Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program

The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) brings together Australia’s leading experts to create an innovative suite of safe, acceptable interventions to help the Great Barrier Reef resist, adapt to, and recover from the impacts of climate change.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living structure and one of the seven wonders of the world. While it remains a vibrant ecosystem of great natural resilience and beauty, warming oceans are causing more frequent and serious bleaching events, which can kill coral.

Reducing global greenhouse gas emissions is the most important action to minimise the impact of climate change on the Reef. But with average global temperatures already 1°C above pre-industrial levels, emissions reduction is no longer enough to guarantee survival of the Great Barrier Reef as we know it.

In addition to reducing emissions and continued best-practice reef management, the interventions resulting from this program are likely to be needed to sustain the Reef.

The RRAP Research and Development (R&D) Program is the world’s largest effort to help a significant ecosystem survive climate change. 

Partners include the Australian Institute of Marine Science, CSIRO, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the University of Queensland, QUT, Southern Cross University and James Cook University. The Program is funded  by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. 

Our Research and Development

Cooling and shading interventions aim to help protect the Reef during high-risk periods.

We aim to assist corals to more quickly evolve and adapt to their changing environment, to minimise the need for ongoing intervention.

We are investigating methods to support the natural restoration of damaged and degraded reefs.

Resources

RRAP reports, publications,  and restoration guides and resources

Background information and frequently-asked questions about the impacts of climate change on coral reefs and RRAP’s approach to developing interventions to enhance the natural resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.

Photo of a snorkeler

Photo by Andrea Severati, courtesy of AIMS.

Latest news

Contact us

Partnership and other general enquiries, media enquiries and job and PhD student opportunities