Climate Change and the Great Barrier Reef
Our Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Climate Change Mitigation Strategy were developed to guide Council's response to the effects of climate change in the Whitsunday Region.
Find out more about current Council climate projects and reports below.
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Background
The Tourism sector in the Whitsundays has expressed interest in advancing their mitigation and becoming greater stewards of the Reef. The council is leading the region to become a certified Sustainable Destination. Council worked with the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) to develop the project plan.
What?
Council has developed the Whitsundays “Healthy Heart” Project to decarbonise the tourism sector, whilst achieving earthCheck and Sustainable Destination accreditation for the region. The project provides an opportunity for engaged partners within the local tourism sector to set higher and more ambitious targets for climate change mitigation, to improve the health of our reef and lead the way towards our region achieving a zero net emissions target by 2050.
How?
This project is collaborating with local businesses to assist them in lowering their environmental footprint and support sustainable recovery. The project is currently engaging with marine tourism operators, marinas, and island resorts. The project will upscale and measure the sector's achievements annually and assist with Council’s achievement of a sustainable destination certification. A certification will provide positive marketing opportunities and help build the Whitsundays brand as the Healthy Heart of the Great Barrier Reef.
Financing
The project is made possible via collaboration with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation through the Reef Islands Initiative*. The GIFT developed the project plan and provided a review of suitable certification programs for operators as well as opportunities for the Whitsunday destination as a whole. GIFT’s initial project planning was co-funded by Climate Realities and the Whitsunday regional Council.
Aims
The aims of this collaborative four-year project are to:
- Improve collaboration on climate change mitigation in the region
- Build resilience to climate change
- Recruit tourism operators / related businesses to actively measure and reduce their carbon footprint
- Make the Whitsundays a certified Sustainable Destination
- Define barriers to decarbonisation and identify real-life solutions
- Create green marketing opportunities
- Enhance recovery from COVID-19
Meet our Healthy Heart Partners!
Watch past webinars and event recordings here
View project related stories here
For further information on this project contact Lee Hawkins at Lee.hawkins@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au or call (07) 4945 0209. To register your business’s interest in joining the project partners, please complete the Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project. registration form!
*The Reef Islands Initiative is a Great Barrier Reef Foundation program, supported by funding from Lendlease, the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, the Queensland Government and the Fitzgerald Family Foundation.
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Optimising Water Treatment and Pumping
Background
Whitsunday Water (WW) historically utilised 60% of the Council’s total electricity consumption. They have since installed a 400kW solar array and a 450 kVa (current) to 500 KVa (near future) generator at the Bowen Water Treatment Plant (WTP) for emergency resilience purposes. The installation of the solar system has resulted in direct savings. In addition, there was considerable savings by using the storage capacity in the systems and optimising pumping in smaller (hourly) timesteps to meet demand.
What?
WW has identified that there is still room for improvements in the system to further reduce their electricity consumption, increase cost efficiencies and reduce their carbon footprint.
How?
Council has recruited a Masters Student from CQUniversity to optimise the pumping and treatment system to better use the solar with the reservoir space and provide recommendations for further improvements. Results will be published in peer reviewed journals and presented to relevant Queensland Councils.
Who?
Council has engaged Anam Shourobh, a Master’s Student from CQUniversity’s School of Engineering & Technology to work on the project for two years.
Aims
This project aims to:
- Identify areas where the WW system can be improved to reduce their electricity consumption and increase cost savings
- Review the operations before and after the initial improvements and identify the benefits of additional “air space” to allow the plant to be programmed for ideal solar energy demand
- Assess the value of voltage correction equipment and batteries to optimise solar energy performance throughout daylight hours.
- Identify the additional requirements necessary to run a water treatment plant and pump station as a solar-first facility
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Reef Guardian Council
As a Reef Guardian Council, we are playing our part to support the ongoing health of the Great Barrier Reef. We have endorsed an Action Plan which aims to improve environmental outcomes for the Reef by managing our natural resources and increasing our capacity as a community.
The Reef Guardian Action Plan is reviewed annually and is updated when required.
Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership
We are one of 31 member organisations from across the greater Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac area which form the Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership. The Partnership seeks to deliver a range of objectives which support healthy waterways. Find out more the program on the Health Rivers to Reef Partnership website.
Whitsundays Plan of Management
The Queensland Government and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMPA) have developed a Plan to manage tourist visitation on the reef and island environments. Find out more about the program on the Whitsundays Plan of Management page.
Local Marine Advisory Committee
The Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee (WLMAC) is a community reference group which meet regularly to discuss a range of marine and tourist related issues. The LMAC is coordinated by GBRMPA and WRC is represented on the committee.