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

Showing 30 of 371 results

Effects of increased greenhouse gases

2016
Climate
Pressures
Report Content
... the lower atmosphere, of the heat radiated from Earth’s surface, causing an increase in the global (land and ocean) mean surface temperature of 0.85 ± 0.20 °C from 1880 to 2012 ...
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Pressures affecting Australia’s climate 2016

2016
Climate
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceGreenhouse gases (GHGs)—carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, short-lived tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, nitrous oxide and synthetic GHGs—together with water vapour, and natural and industrial aerosols, influence Earth’s energy balance. Human activity, primarily the burning of...

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Anthropogenic ocean warming and ocean acidification, superimposed on natural climate variations, pose risks to Australia’s marine ecosystems and their habitats, communities and species groups

2016
Marine environment
Key Finding

2016Sea surface temperatures are continuing to increase, with surface ocean warming during the 21st century occurring at approximately 7 times the rate observed during the 20th century. The frequency of extreme sea surface temperature events has increased. Rising summer ocean temperatures...

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The physical environment: The Southern Ocean

2016
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Report Content
The Southern Ocean is changing in ways that are likely to affect regional ... marine productivity ( Rhein et al. 2013 ). The Southern Ocean has warmed more rapidly and to a greater depth than the global ocean average in recent decades ( Böning et al. 2008 , Gille ...
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Resilience of our climate

2016
Climate
Resilience
Report Content
... that occur across different timescales. Mixing with surface ocean waters and reacting with dissolved carbonate ions ... 10–100 years, transport and mixing throughout the deep ocean between 100 and 1000 years, the reaction of CO 2 with ...
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State and trends of the Southern Ocean

2016, 2011
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Assessment summary

Antarctic environment State and trends The physical environment: The Southern Ocean Antarctica...

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Figure MAR5 Decadal sea surface temperature trend per month (degrees per decade), 1982–2015

2016
Marine environment
Pressures
Map

Interact with mapDownload as pngDownload dataset Source: Data from the Australian Ocean Data Network and NASA VIEW ANIMATION Figure MAR5 Decadal sea surface temperature trend per month (degrees per decade), 1982–2015 Climate change

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Figure MAR4 Monthly averages of sea surface temperature in the South-east Marine Region, 2005–14

2016
Marine environment
Pressures
Map

Download as png Source: Data from the Australian Ocean Data Network View this map series as an animation.   Figure MAR4     Monthly averages of sea surface temperature in the South-east Marine Region, 2005–14 Climate and system variability

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Figure MAR43 Trend in satellite-derived surface chlorophyll concentrations along the Bonney coastline, 2000–15

2016
Marine environment
Outlook
Map

Interact with mapDownload as pngDownload dataset Source: National Environmental Science Programme Marine Biodiversity Hub, based on data from the Australian Ocean Data Network Figure MAR43 Trend in satellite-derived surface chlorophyll concentrations along the Bonney...

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Australia’s marine environment is influenced by the cycles of several natural climate phenomena, including the El  Niño–Southern Oscillation, the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern Annular Mode

2016
Marine environment
Key Finding

2016  Variability in the phases of these climate phenomena change rainfall patterns, sea surface temperatures, surface winds and oceanic currents. These changes can influence the degree of vertical mixing through the water column and the relative location of cyclone events. Simultaneous...

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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...

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Global importance of Antarctica

2016
Antarctic environment
Introduction
Report Content
... circulations. Antarctica and the surrounding Southern Ocean are key drivers of Earth’s oceanic and atmospheric ...
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Pressures affecting Antarctic marine species

2016, 2011
Antarctic environment
Pressures
Assessment summary

Antarctic environment Pressures Pressures on the marine environment Antarctica Year...

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The physical environment: The cryosphere

2016
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Antarctic environment State and trends Antarctica The physical environment includes both the nonliving factors that characterise an ecosystem (e.g. weather patterns, ice coverage, the...

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Climate and system variability

2016
Marine environment
Pressures
Report Content
... (e.g.  Figure MAR4 ), rainfall patterns (affecting ocean salinity), surface winds, oceanic currents and tidal regimes, which can ...
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The physical environment: The atmosphere—climate and weather patterns

2016
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Antarctic environment State and trends Antarctica The physical environment includes both the nonliving factors that characterise an ecosystem (e.g. weather patterns, ice coverage, the...

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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...

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Human influences on Antarctica

2016
Antarctic environment
Pressures
Report Content
... carbon dioxide has increased the acidity of the Southern Ocean, and traces of pollutants such as ...
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Resilience of Australia’s climate 2016

2016
Climate
Resilience
At a glance

At a glanceOur planet is somewhat resilient to increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels because atmospheric CO2 is absorbed by the oceans. During recent decades, the oceans have taken up approximately 25 per cent of the annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. However, the...

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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....

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Temperature

2016
Climate
State and trends
Report Content
... national temperature records began in 1910, with mean surface air temperature showing around a 1 °C warming since ...
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Marine regions

2016
Marine environment
Introduction
Report Content
... heritage values, while supporting the sustainable use of ocean resources by marine-based industries. ...
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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...

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Climate change is a key pressure on the Australian environment

2016
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Pressures Climate change is an increasingly important and pervasive pressure on all aspects of the Australian environment. Although our climate and its high natural variability from year to year have always been a major influence on the state...

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Overview of resilience of the atmosphere

2016
Atmosphere
Resilience
Report Content

2016 Atmosphere Resilience Climate The Atmosphere report considers both the resilience of the climate system itself and the resilience of our society to climate change. Our planet is somewhat resilient to increasing...

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Climate change

2016
Marine environment
Pressures
Report Content
Anthropogenic ocean warming and ocean acidification, superimposed on natural climate ... marine environment, from shallow-water habitats to deep-ocean communities ( Thresher et al 2015 ). These include ...
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Sustained ocean monitoring

2016
Marine environment
Outlook
Report Content

2016 Marine environment Outlook Great Barrier Reef Responding to a changing and increasingly modified environment, especially one where directing or modifying the trajectory of change is...

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Figure ANT11 Monthly average surface atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, 1958–2015

2016
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Graph

Monthly average surface atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, 1958–2015. Monthly average surface atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, 1958–2015. Scripps seasonally corrected trendNOAA average seasonally corrected trendNOAA/ESRL monthly average 1958...

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Pressures affecting the marine environment 2016

2016
Marine environment
Pressures
At a glance

At a glanceAustralia’s marine environment is experiencing pressures from a wide range of sources that affect its habitats, communities, species and ecosystem functioning to varying degrees. With many pressures affecting the marine environment and its inhabitants at any one time, it can be...

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Overview of state and trends of the atmosphere

2016
Atmosphere
State and trends
Report Content
... from global climate change include increased average surface air temperature, increased incidence of heatwaves, ...
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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.

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