Predicting the benefits of legal reform for marine and coastal restoration (2026-2029)

This project aims to build the case for legal reform to facilitate marine and coastal restoration. Currently, restoration is hindered by the need to obtain numerous development and environment approvals, and engage with legal processes not designed for restoration. These problems are amplified when attempting to restore multiple habitats simultaneously. This projects draws together legal research, social science, restoration science and environmental modelling to build the evidence base for why reform is needed, how reform can be done, and what difference this reform can make to ecosystem health. This will support the restoration needed to meet international restoration targets, and to secure critically important ecosystem services.