Great Barrier Reef: Australia's 'response plan' draft contains no new action or funding

Exclusive: 'Confidential' draft acknowledges coral bleaching but does not make any attempt to address climate change

The Australian government's official "response plan" to the worst ever bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef commits it to no new action, pledges no new money and does not make any attempt to address climate change, according to a draft seen by the Guardian.

The Northern Great Barrier Reef Response Plan, marked "draft" and "confidential", begins by describing the bleaching event as "the worst ever coral bleaching" and attributes its cause to climate change.