Skip to Content
Having difficulty reading?View site in high contrast×

Australia State of the Environment Report

Home
  • Overview
  • Drivers
  • Themes
  • Frameworks
  • Topics
  • Download
  • How & Why
  • About

Search form

Main menu

  • Overview
  • Drivers
  • Themes
  • Frameworks
  • Topics
  • Download
  • How & Why
  • About
Back to Home

Search

  • Advanced Site Search
  • Search by Region
  • Search Assessment Summaries
Show on map

Historic Content you are reading content from a previous reporting year.

Showing 30 of 218 results
  •  
  • 1 of 8
  • next ›

A new and emerging pressure in the coastal and marine zones is the increasing amount of human litter, which affects coastal and marine ecosystems and food webs...

2016
Pressures
Key Finding

2016A new and emerging pressure in the coastal and marine zones is the increasing amount of human litter, which affects coastal and marine ecosystems and food webs. Approximately three-quarters of the debris found along the Australian coast is plastic.

Read more

State and trends of the Antarctic environment 2016

2016
Antarctic environment
State and trends
At a glance

At a glanceThe physical and chemical components of the Antarctic environment are changing. The Antarctic surface and lower atmosphere are warming, with the strongest temperature increases in the Antarctic Peninsula region and West Antarctica. Part of the warming is because of global...

Read more

Overview of state and trends of the Antarctic environment

2016
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Antarctic environment State and trends Antarctica What has changed since 2011? Antarctic sea ice has shown a general increase in overall extent, but some areas are showing rapid decline....

Read more

Major regional changes are occurring in Antarctic sea ice coverage

2016
Antarctic environment
Key Finding

2016For the past 30 years, there has been a small increase in the extent of sea ice around Antarctica, but with strong regional differences. Most notable are contrasting regional changes in sea ice seasonality attributed to changing patterns of large-scale atmospheric circulation. In the...

Read more

Several factors, such as ocean acidification, increasing wind strength and changes in ocean circulation in the Southern Ocean, may affect the base of Antarctic food webs

2016
Antarctic environment
Key Finding

2016  Dissolved carbon dioxide acidifies the ocean and reduces the availability of carbonate ions that shell-making organisms require for calcification, reducing the ability of these organisms to form shells. This may affect their reproductive capabilities and recruitment. Changes in the...

Read more

Pressures on the marine environment

2016
Antarctic environment
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Antarctic environment Pressures Antarctica The water chemistry of the Southern Ocean appears to be changing at a faster rate than previously estimated, particularly in the deep ocean...

Read more

Overview of state and trends of the marine environment

2016
Marine environment
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Marine environment State and trends Great Barrier Reef Marine North Marine North West Marine South East Marine...

Read more

Value chain for fresh and processed food in Australia 2012–13: Food and beverage processing

2016 Graph

Retail food sales Retail food sales Percentageofretailfoodsales Supermarkets and grocery stores62 Cafes and restaurants14 Takeaway outlets10 Liquor retailing7 Other food7 Value chain for fresh and processed food in Australia...

Read more

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...

Read more

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...

Read more

Outlook for the marine environment 2016

2016
Marine environment
Outlook
At a glance

At a glanceThe contribution of the marine environment to the economy is projected to continue to grow 3 times faster than Australia’s gross domestic product in the next decade. It is in Australia’s interest that our ocean ecosystems continue to bring economic, cultural and social benefits...

Read more

Biodiversity: Ecological processes

2016
Coasts
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Coasts State and trends Tasmania Greater Brisbane Great Barrier Reef East Coast Connectivity Connectivity among...

Read more

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...

Read more

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

Read more

Pressures affecting the Antarctic environment 2016

2016
Antarctic environment
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceThe climate of Antarctica is changing. Compared with conditions prevailing in the 1950s, parts of West Antarctica—particularly the Antarctic Peninsula region—have warmed. In East Antarctica, where Australia operates, temperatures have also increased, but to a lesser extent. Across...

Read more

Toxins, pesticides and herbicides

2016
Marine environment
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Marine environment Pressures Great Barrier Reef The group of chemicals typically regarded as pollutants encompasses a large array of compounds, and is generally divided into chemical...

Read more

Overview of resilience of the marine environment

2016
Marine environment
Resilience
Report Content

2016 Marine environment Resilience Great Barrier Reef Marine North Marine North West Marine South East Current...

Read more

Box MAR7 White shark

2016
Marine environment
State and trends
Case Study
... 2015 , Robbins et al. 2015 , McAuley et al. 2016 ), food-web interactions ( Semmens et al. 2013 , Pethybridge et al. ...
Read more

Terrestrial plant and animal species: Plant species and fungi

2016
Biodiversity
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Biodiversity State and trends Tasmania Australian Capital Territory Plant species The pattern in distribution of listed plant species has not changed significantly...

Read more

Marine regions

2016
Marine environment
Introduction
Report Content

2016 Marine environment Introduction Tasmania Marine Temperate East Marine South West Great Barrier Reef Marine North...

Read more

Outlook under a business-as-usual scenario

2016
Outlook
Report Content

2016 Outlook It is clear from SoE 2016 that some parts of Australia’s environment are not yet being managed sustainably. Although some uncertainties exist, assuming current trends continue and policies or management arrangements are not changed...

Read more

Outlook for the Antarctic environment 2016

2016
Antarctic environment
Outlook
At a glance

At a glanceCurrently, the Antarctic environment is still in a comparatively good condition. However, the pressures on the continent and the surrounding ocean will increase. For example, the extraction of marine resources is not only going to continue but will intensify in the future. Most...

Read more

Antarctic environment: 2011–16 in context

2016
Antarctic environment
Introduction
Report Content

2016 Antarctic environment Introduction Antarctica Since 2011, the Antarctic environment has continued to respond to global pressures from human activity. As is the case in other regions of the...

Read more

The living environment: Marine and terrestrial

2016
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Antarctic environment State and trends Antarctica Given its extreme conditions, the Antarctic has a surprising diversity of ecosystems. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest and...

Read more

Outlook for the land environment 2016

2016
Land
Outlook
At a glance

At a glanceThe outlook for Australia’s land environment is shaped by the legacy of our former activities, the current and future pressures on the land environment, and how we respond to these pressures. The many consequences of climate change provide the greatest challenges. The challenges...

Read more

Coastal waters

2016
Coasts
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Coasts Pressures South Australian Gulf Murray Darling North East Coast Tasmania Timor Sea...

Read more

Box BIO17 FeralScan—connecting communities through citizen science to improve the management of Australia’s worst introduced pest animals

2016
Biodiversity
Effectiveness of management
Case Study
... new digital platform technology through purpose-built web and smart phone apps, which empower communities to be ...
Read more

Overview of state and trends of coasts

2016
Coasts
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Coasts State and trends South East Coast South West Coast North East Coast East Coast What has changed since 2011?...

Read more

Risks to the Antarctic environment 2016

2016
Antarctic environment
Risks
At a glance

At a glanceAs for other regions, distant human activities can contribute to the key risks to the Antarctic environment, including global population, economic pressures and the effects of climate change. Management can mitigate many of the population and economic impacts, and climate change...

Read more

Biodiversity: Habitat-forming species

2016
Coasts
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Coasts State and trends South West Coast South Australian Gulf North East Coast Tasmania Greater Darwin...

Read more
  •  
  • 1 of 8
  • next ›

Footer logo

SoE 2016 logo

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.

This site is a major undertaking to improve the usability of SoE information. We are grateful for the support of users in our ongoing efforts to improve SoE reporting.  Please report problems with the site via our feedback page.

  • Abbreviations
  • Acknowledgements
  • Download
  • Drivers
  • Glossary
  • How & why
    • Reporting framework
    • Digital SoE
  • Overview
    • Headlines
  • Themes
    • Atmosphere
    • Built environment
    • Heritage
    • Biodiversity
    • Land
    • Inland water
    • Coasts
    • Marine environment
    • Antarctic environment
  • Accessibility
  • Contact us
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Help
  • Privacy

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.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2017-2018

cc-by.png

Creative Commons logo