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Effects of increased greenhouse gases
2016 Report ContentPressures affecting Australia’s climate 2016
2016 At a glanceAt 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...
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 Key Finding2016Sea 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...
The physical environment: The Southern Ocean
2016 Report ContentResilience of our climate
2016 Report ContentState and trends of the Southern Ocean
2016, 2011 Assessment summaryAntarctic environment State and trends The physical environment: The Southern Ocean Antarctica...
Figure MAR5 Decadal sea surface temperature trend per month (degrees per decade), 1982–2015
2016 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
Figure MAR4 Monthly averages of sea surface temperature in the South-east Marine Region, 2005–14
2016 MapDownload 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
Figure MAR43 Trend in satellite-derived surface chlorophyll concentrations along the Bonney coastline, 2000–15
2016 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 coastline, 2000–15...
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 Key Finding2016 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...
Outlook for the Antarctic environment 2016
2016 At a glanceAt 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...
Global importance of Antarctica
2016 Report ContentPressures affecting Antarctic marine species
2016, 2011 Assessment summaryAntarctic environment Pressures Pressures on the marine environment Antarctica Year...
The physical environment: The cryosphere
2016 Report Content2016 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...
Climate and system variability
2016 Report ContentThe physical environment: The atmosphere—climate and weather patterns
2016 Report Content2016 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...
Risks to the Antarctic environment 2016
2016 At a glanceAt 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...
Human influences on Antarctica
2016 Report ContentResilience of Australia’s climate 2016
2016 At a glanceAt 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...
Overview of state and trends of the Antarctic environment
2016 Report Content2016 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....
Temperature
2016 Report ContentMarine regions
2016 Report ContentOutlook for the marine environment 2016
2016 At a glanceAt 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...
Climate change is a key pressure on the Australian environment
2016 Report Content2016 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...
Overview of resilience of the atmosphere
2016 Report Content2016 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...
Climate change
2016 Report ContentSustained ocean monitoring
2016 Report Content2016 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...
Figure ANT11 Monthly average surface atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, 1958–2015
2016 GraphMonthly 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...
Pressures affecting the marine environment 2016
2016 At a glanceAt 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...