6.2.3 Technological development

Technological development refers to the application of knowledge to create tools to solve specific social, economic or environmental problems. Technological development can drive change in our understanding, management and use of the Region, and can help reduce environmental impacts. 

Global cooperation across various industries and sectors is required in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. The most significant technological development in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is large-scale deployment of renewable energy. In December 2023, the Australian Government pledged to triple its renewable energy capacity by 2030,1508 and the Queensland Government has committed to 70 per cent renewable energy by 2032 and 80 per cent by 2035.1509 This is accelerating development of infrastructure and now Queensland has 53 large-scale renewable energy projects (operating, under construction or financially committed).  Several renewable energy zones are proposed to be established within the Catchment to help coordinate development in areas of high renewable potential. Technological development, innovation and social buy-in will be driving forces in improving energy efficiency and uptake of renewable energy. Globally, Australia has the highest uptake of solar photovoltaic systems per capita, with around 3.4 million rooftop installations in use.1510 Carbon capture, utilisation and storage is still in the early stages of development and is being considered by governments at different rates around the world.1511

Rapid advances in technology are improving understanding of the Reef

Technology plays a crucial role in improving understanding of the Region and its management. Remotely sensed satellite data, machine learning,1512 artificial intelligence,1513 robotics, drones 1514 and other remotely operated vehicles, acoustics,1515 advanced data analytics and modelling tools, enable scientists to predict and monitor impacts on the Reef. By collecting and analysing large datasets, researchers can simulate various scenarios and develop strategies to mitigate threats such as crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and forecast coral larval dispersal.927,1516  Advanced algorithms and deep learning processes are being used to aid in analysis of vast amounts of underwater imagery to identify fish, corals, coral bleaching and crown-of-thorns starfish with increasing precision.1517,1518,1519 Using such technology can improve ways to measure and monitor coral reefs with fewer resources. Increased data storage and access through cloud computing technologies has made collaboration in near real time possible.1496,1517

Recent technological developments in sewage treatment, which use macroalgae to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater, may help to reduce nutrient loads in outputs if current trials prove successful and can be scaled up.1520

The genomics revolution (Box 2.1) represents a transformative era in biological research, propelled by advancements in DNA sequencing and analysis.14,1521 The results have broad implications for environmental conservation, allowing scientists to understand the genetic diversity within populations, track the impact of environmental changes, and develop targeted strategies for biodiversity preservation and interventions. 

Environmental DNA (eDNA) provides easy access to DNA-based identification to better quantify and identify species diversity and will allow for better provision of ecosystem community baselines against which future surveys can be compared.19 However, because eDNA concentration is low in marine environments, the reliability of eDNA to detect species diversity can be limited.27 A comprehensive library of genomes upon which the eDNA analyses are based is still limited.

A drone is pictured being operated by two people standing on a platform at sea
Researchers using a drone at Broadhurst Reef. © Commonwealth of Australia (Reef Authority) 2021

New ‘interventions’ technologies are being developed and trialled that may support the resilience of the Reef (Box 5.4). The current research and development program includes interventions such as: cooling and shading; rubble stabilisation; cryopreservation; coral relocation; coral aquaculture and mariculture; development, via assisted evolution and treatments, of more resilient species and their deployment on the Reef.1522 The effectiveness of these techniques on the Reef will be strongly influenced by feasibility at scale and through understanding and mitigating potential risks.

  • 14. Taxonomy Decadal Plan Working Group 2018, Discovering biodiversity: A decadal plan for taxonomy and biosystematics in Australia and New Zealand 2018-2027, Australian Academy of Science and Royal Society Te Apārangi, Canberra and Wellington.
  • 19. Ip, Y.C.A., Tay, Y.C., Gan, S.X., Ang, H.P., Tun, K., et al. 2019, From marine park to future genomic observatory? Enhancing marine biodiversity assessments using a biocode approach, Biodiversity Data Journal 7: e46833.
  • 27. Stauffer, S., Jucker, M., Keggin, T., Marques, V., Andrello, M., et al. 2021, How many replicates to accurately estimate fish biodiversity using environmental DNA on coral reefs? Ecology and Evolution 11(21): 14630-14643.
  • 927. Gurdek-Bas, R., Benthuysen, J.A., Harrison, H.B., Zenger, K.R. and van Herwerden, L. 2022, The El Niño Southern Oscillation drives multidirectional inter-reef larval connectivity in the Great Barrier Reef, Scientific Reports 12(1): 21290.
  • 1496. The State of Queensland (Queensland Treasury) 2023, About the Queensland Economy, <https://www.treasury.qld.gov.au/queenslands-economy/about-the-queensland-economy>.
  • 1508. Australian Government 2023, Australia supports global renewable and energy efficiency pledge. , <https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/bowen/media-releases/australia-supports-global-renewable-and-energy-efficiency-pledge-0>.
  • 1509. The Queensland Government 2022, Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, The Queensland Government, Brisbane.
  • 1510.  Department of Climate Change Energy the Environment and Water 2024, Solar PV and batteries, Commonwealth of Australia, <https://www.energy.gov.au/households/solar-pv-and-batteries>.
  • 1511. Wilberforce, T., Olabi, A.G., Sayed, E.T., Elsaid, K. and Abdelkareem, M.A. 2021, Progress in carbon capture technologies, Science of the Total Environment 761: 143203.
  • 1512. Goodwin, M., Halvorsen, K.T., Jiao, L., Knausgård, K.M., Martin, A.H., et al. 2022, Unlocking the potential of deep learning for marine ecology: overview, applications, and outlook, ICES Journal of Marine Science 79(2): 319-336.
  • 1513. Hajkowicz, S., Naughtin, C., Sanderson, C., Schleiger, E., Karimi, S., et al. 2022, Artificial intelligence for science–Adoption trends and future development pathways, Brisbane.
  • 1514. Joyce, K.E., Fickas, K.C. and Kalamandeen, M. 2023, The unique value proposition for using drones to map coastal ecosystems, Cambridge Prisms: Coastal Futures 1: e6.
  • 1515. Mooney, T.A., Di Iorio, L., Lammers, M., Lin, T., Nedelec, S.L., et al. 2020, Listening forward: approaching marine biodiversity assessments using acoustic methods, Royal Society Open Science 7(8): 201287.
  • 1516. Matthews, S.A., Mellin, C. and Pratchett, M.S. 2020, Chapter Nine - Larval connectivity and water quality explain spatial distribution of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks across the Great Barrier Reef, Advances in Marine Biology 87(1): 223-258.
  • 1517. Australian Institute of Marine Science 2023, ReefCloud Platform, <https://reefcloud.ai/>.
  • 1518. González-Rivero, M., Beijbom, O., Rodriguez-Ramirez, A., Bryant, D.E.P., Ganase, A., et al. 2020, Monitoring of Coral Reefs Using Artificial Intelligence: A Feasible and Cost-Effective Approach, Remote Sensing 12(3).
  • 1519. Kopecky, K.L., Pavoni, G., Nocerino, E., Brooks, A.J., Corsini, M., et al. 2023, Quantifying the Loss of Coral from a Bleaching Event Using Underwater Photogrammetry and AI-Assisted Image Segmentation, Remote Sensing 15(16).
  • 1520. Burdekin Shire Council 2023, Burdekin Shire Council and Pacific Biotechnologies Australia sign agreements to construct the world’s first RegenAqua Wastewater Treatment Facility, <https://www.burdekin.qld.gov.au/news/article/1924/burdekin-shire-council-and-pacific-biotechnologies-australia-sign-agreements-to-construct-the-world-s-first-regenaqua-wastewater-treatment-facility>.
  • 1521. West, K.M., Stat, M., Harvey, E.S., Skepper, C.L., DiBattista, J.D., et al. 2020, eDNA metabarcoding survey reveals fine‐scale coral reef community variation across a remote, tropical island ecosystem, Molecular Ecology 29(6): 1069-1086.
  • 1522. Condie, S.A., Anthony, K.R.N., Babcock, R.C., Baird, M.E., Beeden, R., et al. 2023, Large-scale interventions may delay decline of the Great Barrier Reef, Royal Society Open Science 8(4): 1-27.