Sugarcane farming and the Great Barrier Reef: the role of a principled approach to change

摘要

Nutrient run-off from sugarcane farming practices has been identified as a significant threat to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA). The load of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) has increased dramatically in the last decades. This increase has been connected to poor water quality and outbreaks of Crown of Thorns starfish. It is suggested that the current level of the water quality is a failure that can be reversed by a focused regulatory response which meets the timeframe set by government. Considering the historical issues of regulatory capture, we argue that in devising effective regulation the culture of the sugar industry is of critical importance.