A panel led by Australia’s former chief scientist says global action is needed to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

A report by a panel of 15 scientists has called for a revision of the Reef 2050 Plan in the face of “inexorable global warming”, which threatens the biodiversity of the Reef.

It says the world must keep global temperature increases to 1.2 degrees – at the high end of pledges made at the Paris climate talks – to stop the deterioration of the Great Barrier Reef's biodiversity.

Federal and state environment ministers last week agreed in to bring forward a review of the plan.

The scientists say the Great Barrier Reef's unprecedented bleaching events over recent years have killed “close to 50 per cent” of the corals over the entire reef.

“Global emission reduction targets should be set to secure an average temperature increase of no more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, or even less,” the report said.

“To protect current reef biodiversity, global average temperature rise would need to be limited to [about] 1.2 degrees.

“Australia should set targets appropriate to its 'fair share' of emission reduction aimed at keeping global warming to the low end of the [Paris] range, or below,” the report said.

It also said Australia must “play a prominent leading role in securing appropriate global targets and purposeful action to meet a 1.5-degree target, or lower”. 

Energy and Environment minister Josh Frydenberg said the government was “deeply concerned about the impacts of coral bleaching and are committed to action to address climate change through the Paris Agreement, which commits parties to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees”.

“While we consider the expert advice in detail, we have identified a number of actions to be undertaken immediately, including: bringing forward the mid-term review of the Reef 2050 Plan; scaling up crown-of-thorns starfish control, research and management; and improving water quality entering the Reef,” he said.