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

Showing 21 of 21 results

Population and climate change are the biggest pressures on air quality

2016
Atmosphere
Key Finding

2016  The population of Australia’s major cities will continue to grow, meaning that human activity, and consequent power and transport requirements, will increase. This will increase air pollution. Climate change also plays a role in air pollution. The increasing prevalence of extreme...

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Reducing fine particles in the atmosphere is our next major challenge

2016
Atmosphere
Key Finding

2016  Particulate matter has been identified as a significant hazard to human health. Levels of PM10 now rarely exceed the national standard. However, the standard for fine particles (PM2.5)—which, until 2016, was an advisory limit only—is frequently exceeded because of events such as...

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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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Commercial and other domestic sources

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Report Content
... Domestic sources, for example, can affect photochemical smog by releasing VOCs. ...
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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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State and trends of Australia’s air quality 2016

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
At a glance

At a glance Since 1998, Australia has had national ambient air quality standards (National Environment Protection Measure for Ambient Air Quality—Air NEPM), which set guideline levels for 7 key air pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter (less than 10 ...

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Box ATM8    Future air quality in Victoria project

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Case Study
... 2030. The frequency of droughts and temperature-driven smog events is expected to increase beyond 2030 if emissions ...
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Risks to Australia’s air quality 2016

2016
Ambient air quality
Risks
At a glance

At a glanceDuring the past 50 years or so since the first clean air Acts were introduced in Australian jurisdictions, state and territory environment protection agencies (often working together with local government) have successfully employed regulatory and nonregulatory measures to greatly...

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Climate change

2016
Ambient air quality
Risks
Report Content
... formation of ozone and other components of photochemical smog. The latter phenomenon is driven by increasing ...
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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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Pollution sources

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality Pressures Greater Melbourne Greater Sydney Pollution sources are often characterised as anthropogenic (i.e. human-made), biogenic (i.e. natural...

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Pressures affecting ambient air quality

2016, 2011
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Assessment summary

Ambient air quality Pressures Prescribed burning and bushfiresIncreasing populationNonregulated diesel engines, including shipping and nonroad transportCommercial and other domestic sourcesDomestic wood heatersIndustryMotor...

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3 Atmosphere | 1 Introduction

2011
Atmosphere
Report Content
... and unhealthy places to live. The great London smog of December 1952, which is now reckoned to have claimed ...
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3 Atmosphere| 1 Introduction

2011
Atmosphere
Introduction
At a glance

In the seventh year of the reign of the Emperor Nero, the philosopher Seneca commented on the quality of the air in Rome: As soon as I had gotten out of the heavy air of Rome and from the stink of the smoky chimneys thereof, which, being stirred, poured forth whatever pestilential vapours...

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Introduction

2011
Ambient air quality
Introduction
At a glance

In the seventh year of the reign of the Emperor Nero, the philosopher Seneca commented on the quality of the air in Rome: As soon as I had gotten out of the heavy air of Rome and from the stink of the smoky chimneys thereof, which, being stirred, poured forth whatever pestilential vapours...

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Introduction

2011
Climate
Introduction
At a glance

In the seventh year of the reign of the Emperor Nero, the philosopher Seneca commented on the quality of the air in Rome: As soon as I had gotten out of the heavy air of Rome and from the stink of the smoky chimneys thereof, which, being stirred, poured forth whatever pestilential vapours...

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Pressures affecting stratospheric ozone, ambient air quality and indoor air quality

2011
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Assessment summary

Ambient air quality Pressures Indoor air quality Year...

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Ambient air quality

2011
Ambient air quality
Risks
Report Content

2011 Ambient air quality Risks Industrial point sources If not effectively controlled, emissions from industry can place health and amenity at risk, not only at the neighbourhood level, but more generally at the...

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Ambient air quality

2011
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Report Content

2011 Ambient air quality Pressures Tasmania Greater Hobart Australian Capital Territory Greater Melbourne Greater...

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Ambient air quality

2011
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Report Content

2011 Ambient air quality State and trends Ambient air quality and health Although air pollution can harm vegetation, erode the facades of historic stone buildings and limit visibility, the main focus of public concern...

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3 Atmosphere | References

2011
Atmosphere
Report Content
... 1969. 2 Stone R. Counting the cost of London’s killer smog. Science 2002;298(5601):2106–7. 3 Harrison RM, ed. ...
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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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