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Executive summary - Drivers

2016 Executive Summary

2016Globally, the human-caused drivers of change to the environment are demographic, economic, socio-political, scientific, technological, cultural and religious. In Australia, the key drivers of environmental change are population and economic activity. The extent to which these drivers...

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Drivers of environmental change

2016 Report Content
Two drivers are increasingly likely to shape Australia’s ... and economic activity. Population and economic drivers lead to a range of specific pressures, which can be ...
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Drivers: 2011–16 in context

2016
Introduction
Report Content
The SoE 2011 report discussed 3 drivers of environmental change: climate change (described as ... growth and economic growth (described as indirect drivers). ...
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Drivers influencing the marine environment

2016
Marine environment
Introduction
Report Content
Drivers influencing the Australian environment are covered in detail in the Drivers report , and readers are encouraged to refer to that report. We briefly summarise the drivers influencing the marine environment here. ...
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Mitigating the drivers of environmental change

2016 Report Content

2016 Since the first SoE report in 1996, a great deal of effort has been focused on improving environment-related policies and associated management actions. However, these are often focused on reducing pressures on the environment. For example, Australia’s regulatory regime...

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Economic activity as a driver of environmental change

2016 Report Content

2016 The production of goods and services requires energy and materials—metals, minerals, water, food and fibre—all of which come from the environment. The impacts of resource extraction, production, transport, use and waste generation are central to how economic activity affects...

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Population as a driver of environmental change

2016 Report Content

2016 Greater Brisbane Greater Darwin Greater Hobart Greater Adelaide Greater Melbourne Greater Perth Greater Sydney...

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Effectiveness of management for specific pressures and drivers

2016
Effectiveness of management
Report Content
... noted that the complex and dynamic relationships between drivers, pressures, ecosystems and humans call for policies and management actions that address both drivers and pressures. In many cases, the most important ... leverage points for policy and management may be the drivers rather than the pressures ( UNEP 2012 ). ...
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Australia’s environment is shaped by both legacy impacts and contemporary drivers

2016 Key Finding

2016Australian species and habitats have been shaped by natural drivers of change, and have been influenced by Indigenous management of land, water and sea for tens of thousands of years. More recently, European settlement in Australia has driven several changes to our environment. Some of...

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Introduction

2016
Introduction
At a glance

Drivers are the underlying natural and human-caused forces that generate the pressures on the environment. Natural drivers of environmental change include changes in Earth’s orbit, and variation in the amount of solar energy and volcanic eruptions. The human-caused drivers of change to the...

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Figure ATM16 Annual change in total emissions from underlying drivers, 1992–2014

2016
Climate
Graph

Annual change in total emissions from underlying drivers, 1992–2014 Annual change in total emissions from underlying drivers, 1992–2014 PopulationGross domestic product per personEnergy intensityCarbon intensity of energy supplyAgriculture; land use; land-use...

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Figure ATM3 Radiative forcing in 2011 relative to 1750, and aggregated uncertainties for the main drivers of climate change

2016
Climate
Pressures
Graph

Radiative forcing for the main drivers of climate change, and total radiative forcing in 2011 relative to 1750 Radiative forcing for the main drivers of climate change, and total radiative forcing in 2011 relative to 1750 Radiative forcingaerosols positive upper...

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Figure ATM14 Carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion, industrial processes and product use, and underlying drivers, 1990–2014

2016
Climate
Graph

Carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion, industrial processes and product use and underlying drivers, 1990–2014 Carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion, industrial processes and product use and underlying drivers, 1990–2014 Fuel combustion,...

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Figure ATM15 Annual change in carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion, industrial processes and product use, and underlying drivers, 1992–2014

2016
Climate
Graph

Annual change in carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion, industrial processes and product use, and underlying drivers, 1992–2014 Annual change in carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion, industrial processes and product use, and underlying drivers, 1992...

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Australia is developing creative approaches to reducing impacts on the environment

2016 Key Finding

2016The effects of drivers are mediated by processes including the policies, culture and technology that we bring to bear on our use of the environment. With the expected increase in population and associated growth of the economy, Australia is continuing to invest in innovative ways to...

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Outlook

2016
Outlook
At a glance

In general, the outlook for Australia’s environment depends on our ability to effectively address the complex mix of drivers, pressures and risks discussed in this report. This mix can be addressed through: leadership effective engagement of the community and private sector continued...

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Executive summary - Overview

2016 Executive Summary

2016In the past 5 years (2011–16), environmental policies and management practices in Australia have achieved improvements in the state and trends of parts of the Australian environment. Australia’s built environment, natural and cultural heritage, and marine and Antarctic environments are...

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Effects of increased greenhouse gases

2016
Climate
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Climate Pressures The growing concentrations of human-generated GHGs have resulted in an increased absorption, largely in the lower atmosphere, of the heat radiated from Earth’s surface, causing an increase in the...

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Trends in emissions

2016
Climate
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Climate Pressures Greater Melbourne Greater Sydney Absolute aggregate emissions Between 1990 and 2015, Australia’s national GHG inventory suggested that emissions...

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Pressures affecting inland water environments 2016

2016
Inland water
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceOverall, the key pressures affecting inland water environments have changed little since 2011, with climatic and pest-based pressures increasing, land-use and management pressures remaining largely stable, and some stabilisation occurring in the pressure of water resources...

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Pressures affecting heritage 2016

2016
Heritage
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceThe drivers of the condition of Australia’s environment (including heritage) are both historical and contemporary. Historical pressures, such as a legacy of land clearing and changes in land use, cannot be addressed through short-term management. Other pressures, such as rising...

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Pressures affecting Australia’s air quality 2016

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceAustralian ambient air quality is mostly affected by increasing human activity and climate change. The population of Australia’s major cities continues to increase, with both increasing urban density and expanding boundaries. The corresponding increase in emissions from transport...

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Pressures affecting the built environment 2016

2016
Built environment
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceA range of pressures on the built environment have a high or very high impact on livability, human health and/or urban environmental efficiency. Pressures from a growing population have a high impact on the urban footprint, because of a lack of coordinated and integrated urban...

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In general, the outlook for Australia’s environment depends on our ability to effectively address the complex mix of drivers, pressures and risks. This includes decoupling the economy from environmental harm...

2016
Outlook
Key Finding

2016In general, the outlook for Australia’s environment depends on our ability to effectively address the complex mix of drivers, pressures and risks. This includes decoupling the economy from environmental harm, and mitigating and adapting to climate change.

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Value chain for fresh and processed food in Australia 2012-13: Farm and fish food production

2016 Graph

Farm and fish food production Farm and fish food production Percentageofindustryproduction Grains and oilseeds33 Meat31 Fruit and vegetables18 Milk10 Seafood5 Other3 Source: Department of Agriculture (2014) Economic...

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Value chain for fresh and processed food in Australia 2012-13: Retail food sales

2016 Graph

Retail food sales Retail food sales Percentageofretailfoodsales Supermarkets and grocery stores62 Cafes and restaurants14 Takeaway outlets10 Liquor retailing7 Other food7 Source: Department of Agriculture (2014) Economic...

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Value chain for fresh and processed food in Australia 2012-13: Export revenue from farm and fish food and food and beverage

2016 Graph

Value of food exports Value of food exports Percentage of industry exports Grains35 Meat24 Dairy products7 Wine6 Seafood3 Other25 Source: Department of Agriculture (2014) Economic activity as a driver of environmental...

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Value chain for fresh and processed food in Australia 2012-13: Import costs to food and beverage and retail food processing and sales

2016 Graph

Value of food exports Value of food exports Percentageofindustryimports Beverages20 Horticulture17 Seafood13 Dairy6 Other44 Source: Department of Agriculture (2014) Economic activity as a driver of environmental change

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Pressures affecting the land environment 2016

2016
Land
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceAlthough a changing climate has shaped the Australian landscape and its vegetation, the current rate of climate change is likely to result in changes in the distribution and composition of vegetation communities. Some communities are likely to disappear, and others will be...

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Energy decoupling in Australia, 2009–10 to 2013–14

2016 Graph

Energy decoupling in Australia, 2009–10 to 2013–14 Energy decoupling in Australia, 2009–10 to 2013–14 ExportsNet energy useGross domestic product 2009-10116.3116.3123.7 2010-11112.4113126.7 2011-12115118.7131.3 2012-13130.8131134.5 2013-14133126.8137....

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Australia State of the Environment 2016 has been prepared by independent experts using the best available information to support assessments of environmental condition, pressures, management effectiveness, resilience, risks and outlook.

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Acknowledgment of Country

We, the authors, acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community; we pay respect to them and their cultures and to their elders both past and present.

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