The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s (VEAC) Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves final report was tabled in Parliament on 18 June 2020. This is the Victorian government’s response, as required by section 26G of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Act 2001.

This report provides expert advice to the World Heritage Committee on the protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef including recommendations to mitigate climate change and fishing impacts and to meet time-bound water quality targets.

The report is one of a series of case studies the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) is undertaking as part of a broader investigation into landscape protection in New Zealand. The authors argue for a strengthening of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 to better protect the landscapes of the Hauraki Gulf Islands.

This environmental assessment report was tabled in the Victorian Parliament in June 2020. The report assesses Victoria’s coastal reserves, including their legal status, significant values, and values that are at risk from the impacts of climate change.

This report sets out how, by protecting at least 30% of the ocean in a network of ocean sanctuaries, it's possible to build resilience in ocean ecosystems so they can better withstand rapid changes, and help mitigate climate change by promoting carbon sequestration and storage.