~The Great Barrier Reef is the largest system of coral in the world

~The GBR has lost 26% Of its shallow water corals

~Climate change is causing “Coral Bleaching” which has been the main factor of coral in the GBR dying

~Over-fishing, both commercially and industrially, has altered the food chain in the GBR (the predatory fish species are targeted by fishers)

~Plans to expand ports on the GBR coastline threaten to dredge the sea floor and increase boat traffic

    -“Abbot Point” was a controversial plan to buil three shipping terminals for coal right near 

the GBR. The dredge from the project will be dumped in the GBR, which would block out sunlight, release toxic chemicals, and literally crush the existing coral

    -Platforms used for scuba diving also pose a risk, for the nitrogen in bird feces on the platform gets washed into the coral below which kills it. These are popular for tourists in the GBR

~Pollutants from farms that are carried into the water covers beds of coral, preventing them from getting needed sunlight- and right by Queensland (which is on the coast of the GBR) many cattle farms exist that are near wetlands which carry these pollutants in the form of sludge

~Coral mining left permanent impacts on sections of the GBR.

~While the Australian government has programs to help the GBR, the organizations are not funded enough nor do they have enough power to counter all the problems just mentioned