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

Showing 30 of 486 results

Pressures affecting livability and the environmental efficiency of the built environment will differ, depending on geographic location and population size

2016
Built environment
Key Finding

2016  Australia’s built environment is diverse, ranging from large, highly urbanised centres—such as Sydney and Melbourne, which together accommodate 40 per cent of the Australian population—to small, remote communities. The geographic location of our cities can affect amenities such as...

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Genetic and species diversity

2016
Biodiversity
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Biodiversity State and trends Photo by David Westcott Hibiscus harlequin bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus) nymph feeding on a beach almond (Terminalia catappa) fruit, Hope Island near...

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Box HER11 Great Eastern Ranges Initiative

2016
Heritage
Pressures
Case Study

The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative (GERI 2016) is a strategic response to the ongoing decline and mass extinction of native species in eastern Australia. It draws together industry, government and nongovernment organisations that are active in the conservation of our...

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Figure HER1 Great Eastern Ranges connectivity corridor

2016
Heritage
Pressures
Map

Download as pngDownload dataset Figure HER1 Great Eastern Ranges connectivity corridor Pressures on natural heritage

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Risks to Australia’s climate 2016

2016
Climate
Risks
At a glance

At a glanceAn understanding of the risks associated with Australia’s climate will lead to improved action plans to adapt to the changes predicted to occur. Our climate is a dynamic system; therefore, the risks need to be re-evaluated frequently. Recent climate change projections for...

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Box MAR7 White shark

2016
Marine environment
State and trends
Case Study
... the western population. Movements are extensive across the range of each population, primarily focused across ...
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Box BIO23 Range expansion of flying foxes

2016
Biodiversity
Outlook
Case Study
Range expansion may occur when: existing habitat that has not ... habitat appropriate habitat develops within a species’ range but in areas that were previously not occupied, and the ... a species’ abundance is the precursor to another form of range expansion. Australian flying foxes (Pteropodidae, ...
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Ongoing clearing of native vegetation threatens a range of sectors

2016
Land
Key Finding

2016  Native vegetation supports critical ecosystem services, including stabilising soil, housing beneficial pollinators and other animals, and protecting Australia’s extraordinary biodiversity. Clearing, including clearing of regrowth, reduces landscape resilience, as well as directly...

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Evidence of past resilience

2016
Biodiversity
Resilience
Report Content

2016 Biodiversity Resilience Much of Australia’s biodiversity is renowned for its ability to deal with massive ecosystem shocks (e.g. fire, extended periods of dry or wet, extreme weather events such as cyclones)....

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Triage responses to changes resulting from pressures

2016
Marine environment
Effectiveness of management
Report Content

2016 Marine environment Effectiveness of management Research and management initiatives ultimately require prioritisation, because investment is finite for both funds and available effort. Evaluation of prioritisation...

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Climate change will affect Australian regions differently

2016
Atmosphere
Key Finding

2016  Climate change will result in location-specific vulnerabilities. Australia is predicted to experience increased heatwaves, leading to increased bushfire incidence and health problems (heat stress); longer droughts, extending further geographically; flooding from more intense storm...

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Climate change

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality Pressures Climate change may also have a significant effect on air pollution. Warming and drying of the climate are projected to lead to an increase in extreme fire-danger days in southern and...

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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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Executive Summary - Atmosphere

2016
Atmosphere
Executive Summary

Atmosphere 2016Climate change is a global problem, and minimising its impact on the Australian environment will require coordinated international action by all countries. The Paris Agreement, to which 195 countries have agreed, aims to hold the increase in the...

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Figure LAN32 Density distribution of feral camels across their range in Australia, 2008

2016
Land
Effectiveness of management
Map

Download as pngDownload dataset Source: Data supplied by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, © Northern Territory of Australia, used under CC BY NC-SA 4.0 Figure LAN32 Density distribution of feral camels across their range in Australia, 2008...

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Global climate change and climate variability

2016
Biodiversity
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Biodiversity Pressures Tasmania All recent state and territory SoE reports note the adverse effects of global climate change on biodiversity. These increasingly include extreme weather, as...

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Traditional use of marine resources

2016
Marine environment
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Marine environment Pressures Marine North Traditional use of marine resources is defined here as activities (fishing, collecting, hunting and gathering) by the 2 Indigenous or traditional...

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Australian Antarctic Territory

2016
Antarctic environment
Introduction
Report Content

2016 Antarctic environment Introduction Antarctica The AAT (Figure ANT1) comprises an area of approximately 5.9 million km2, and its coastline extends more than 11,200 kilometres (excluding...

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Climate: 2011–16 in context

2016
Climate
Introduction
Report Content

2016 Climate Introduction As reported in SoE 2011, climate change continues to be a global problem. A major development since the 2011 report has been international cooperation to address the global issue, with 195 ...

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Drivers of environmental change

2016 Report Content
... activity. Population and economic drivers lead to a range of specific pressures, which can be global, national, ...
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Effectiveness of marine management

2016, 2011
Marine environment
Effectiveness of management
Assessment summary

Marine environment Effectiveness of management Triage responses to changes resulting from pressuresCumulative impacts and management of multiple usesSustainability and sector managementEnvironment protection systemsEvaluation of...

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Coastal and marine species and ecosystems

2016
Biodiversity
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Biodiversity State and trends Murray Darling North East Coast Tasmania Greater Darwin Greater Hobart...

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Figure LAN33 Density distribution of feral camels across their range in Australia, with aerial survey areas marked by hatching, 2013

2016
Land
Effectiveness of management
Map

Download as pngDownload dataset Note. Hatching indicates aerial survey areas Source: © Northern Territory Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, all rights reserved, as published in McGregor et al. (2013) Figure LAN33 Density distribution of feral camels...

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Overview of state and trends of heritage

2016
Heritage
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Heritage State and trends North East Coast Tasmania Timor Sea Great Barrier Reef Marine North West...

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Box ATM12 Persistent organic pollutants in Australian air

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Case Study

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are semivolatile chemicals that resist degradation. Once in the environment, they can cycle through water, soil and air, ultimately to bioaccumulate in humans and other species. Exposure to POPs can lead to serious health effects, including...

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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...

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Air toxics

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Report Content
... system problems ( Box ATM12 ). They include a diverse range of pollutants, including volatile and semivolatile ...
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Cumulative impacts and management of multiple uses

2016
Marine environment
Effectiveness of management
Report Content

2016 Marine environment Effectiveness of management Great Barrier Reef Ecosystem-based management aims to balance human activities with environmental stewardship to maintain ecosystem...

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Marine regions

2016
Marine environment
Introduction
Report Content

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

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Freshwater species and ecosystems

2016
Biodiversity
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Biodiversity State and trends Murray Darling Tasmania Great Barrier Reef Australian Capital Territory Lake Eyre...

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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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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

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