Abstract: Coral reef restoration is gaining momentum globally in response to the threat of climate change and associated coral bleaching.  In Australia, as part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP), a range of interventions are being investigated to help the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) resist, repair and recover from climate change.
Implementing any reef restoration research and development into a precious reef environment, requires adaptation of the current complex regulatory environment.  Existing Australian regulatory work is beginning to address restoration, but the current multiple layered legislation and associated government agencies at federal and state levels, makes for a complex space.
Such regulatory environment is likely to be critical in determining the feasibility and viability of restoration interventions on the GBR and reefs around the world.
Drawing on document analysis, case studies and policy labs, this study investigates the regulatory, institutional and governance implications of RRAS interventions.  This includes mapping the existing regulatory controls on the proposed restoration interventions in Australia and internationally
Ultimately, this study provides important insights into the role of regulation and governance in enabling effective large-scale reef restoration.  These may prove useful to other jurisdictions, where reef restoration has become an imperative under a fast-changing climate.

Biography: Dr Maxine Newlands, is a political scientists and environmental communicator with an focus on the Great Barrier Reef. Maxine has been working on the environmental politics of the Great Barrier Reef since moving to Australia in 2013. Max is currently part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP)working on regulatory and engagement projects. RRAP is a collaborative project with AIMS, UQ, QUT, JCU and CSIRO. Their most recent paper, Regulatory Implications of Coral Reef Restoration and Adaptation under a Changing Climate is available online