South Australia is currently experiencing a harmful algal bloom with devastating consequences for marine life, coastal ecosystems, and the communities and industries that depend on them. It’s urgent and insidious, and now getting national and international media attention.  

With Australia and the Pacific likely to host COP31 in Adelaide in November 2026, SA will be in the spotlight. Could this be a turning point for Australians to recognise the ocean:climate nexus;  drive ambition for climate action and strengthen management for ocean resilience? 

With experts we’ll unpack the science, explore the ecological and social impacts, the government response and consider the important role philanthropy can play addressing this urgent challenge. 

• Prof. Gretta Pecl – Marine ecologist & climate scientist (University of Tasmania) and Lead Councillor of the Biodiversity Council, researching climate-driven ocean change and changing species distributions 

• Kirsty Bevan – CEO Conservation Council SA and member of the Harmful Algal Bloom Reference Group, leading advocacy and outreach for SA’s peak environment body  

• Dr Stefan Andrews – Co-founder, the Great Southern Reef Foundation, marine biologist and science communicator, bringing the ocean to life through photography and outreach 

• Daniel Clarke – Walkley Award-winning journalist and filmmaker (Adhoc Docs) and Kangaroo Island resident, whose investigative storytelling shines a light on critical environmental and social issues 

Speakers

Gretta Pecl

University of Tasmania

Gretta is a Professor of marine ecology at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), and the Director of the Centre for Marine Socioecology (CMS) at UTAS. She currently spends most of her time exploring the impact of climate change on natural systems, and helping develop adaptation options for conservation, fisheries and aquaculture. Gretta has a specific interest in how climate change is resulting in a redistribution of life on earth, and she leads several national and international efforts to better understand climate-driven changes to species distributions, including the citizen science initiative Redmap Australia and the international Species on the Move collaboration. She was a Lead Author for the IPCC AR6 report, and has been selected again to represent Australia for Assessment Report 7, is a Lead Councillor for the Biodiversity Council Australia, and received an Order of Australia honour in 2024. Gretta has been prominent in UN Decade of Ocean Science programmes, actions and working groups, including co-leading Future Seas 2030 and other major international initiatives. She leads the new national initiative Sea Change Australia bringing together fishers, aquaculture producers, industry, managers, and researchers to facilitate knowledge exchange and co-develop climate-resilient options for strong and healthy fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Australia. Gretta is part of the Great Southern Reef Foundation Science Committee and has a strong passion for science communication and engagement with the public, being ranked in the top 200 most influential climate scientists in the world (and the top 20 women).  

Stefan Andrews

Great Southern Reef Foundation

Stefan is a marine scientist and filmmaker, and the Co-Founder and Creative Director of the Great Southern Reef Foundation (GSRF), the first organisation dedicated to the long-term protection and stewardship of Australia’s vast temperate reef system. 

Through the GSRF, Stefan works closely with leading researchers to translate science into films, media campaigns, and education programs that connect communities, policymakers, and schools with the Great Southern Reef. His films with the Foundation, including Reviving Giants and the recent White Rock documentary on the urchin crisis, have been screened globally and used to inspire action from classrooms to parliaments. 

In 2025, Stefan was among the first divers to reveal the underwater impacts of South Australia’s harmful algal bloom crisis. His documentation featured on national and international media and continues to play a central role in community forums and advocacy. 

Stefan’s diving and filmmaking remain at the heart of his work, driving new research communications, education programs, and public conversations that are shaping how Australia understands and protects its temperate reefs into the future. 

Kirsty Bevan

Conservation Council of South Australia

Kirsty is the CEO of the Conservation Council of SA, the state’s peak body for conservation. She brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in management and advocacy across both public and not-for-profit sectors within the environmental community. Born and raised in Adelaide, Kirsty began her career as a grassroots conservation volunteer, developing a deep connection to South Australia’s diverse natural landscapes—from Innamincka in the north to Yalata in the west, and along the River Murray in the southeast. Over the course of her career, she has held roles with the State Environment Department, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, and the Nature Conservation Society. As CEO of the Conservation Council of SA, Kirsty is committed to strengthening community engagement and advancing meaningful action to protect the state’s environment for future generations. 

Daniel Clarke

Adhoc Docs

Daniel is a Walkley Award-winning journalist and filmmaker with 25 years experience in news reporting and documentary production across Australia. He has produced over 10 documentaries broadcast on national television/streaming, with particular focus on the environment, social issues, First Nations stories and history. In 2025 he has produced two documentaries for the ABC’s Australian Story and Compass programs. He has also directed films that are streaming on Foxtel, Binge, Amazon Prime, SBS On Demand, and DocPlay. A former Environment Reporter at The Advertiser Newspaper, his writing has also been published in The Australian, The Guardian, The Big Issue, National Indigenous Times and the Amnesty International Magazine. He has lived and worked on Kangaroo Island since 2020.