Advancing coastal and marine ecological restoration in Australia

Australian coastal and marine ecosystems underpin the nation's social, cultural, and economic values, but are increasingly degraded by climate change and other human pressures. Conventional management has failed to halt biodiversity loss, prompting calls for more active intervention. Australia is advancing knowledge to support restoration and climate adaptation, with some approaches now in pilot stages or nearing implementation. However, greater investment in restoration research and development is needed to accelerate progress. Four priorities emerge. First, large-scale, long-term restoration testbeds are required across ecosystems, supported by transparent governance and sustained funding to evaluate effectiveness and impact in real-world conditions. Second, transformative innovation is needed to enable scaling and improve climate resilience, including novel genetic tools and multidisciplinary approaches. Third, evidence-based decision-support systems must better integrate data to improve prediction, prioritisation, and evaluation of restoration outcomes. Finally, social dimensions are critical: building a skilled workforce, enabling conditions for implementation, and supporting Indigenous leadership and co-design will maximise outcomes across people, planet, profit, and purpose. Investment in these areas will deliver coordinated, effective restoration and maximise ecological, societal, economic, and cultural benefits now and into the future.