Key findings

Drivers

Australia’s environment is shaped by both legacy impacts and contemporary drivers

Australian species and habitats have been shaped by natural drivers of change, and have been influenced by Indigenous management of land, water and sea for tens of thousands of years. More recently, European settlement in Australia has driven several changes to our environment. Some of these changes are historical legacies that continue to shape our environment today. Other changes are caused by contemporary human-caused drivers that generate pressures on the environment. The key contemporary drivers of Australian environmental change considered in state of the environment (SoE) 2016 are population (demographic change) and economic activity. These drivers are the same as indirect drivers identified in SoE 2011.

Understanding the scale (size and growth) and intensity (level of influence) of legacy impacts and contemporary drivers of environmental change is fundamental to ecologically sustainable development.

2016

Australia’s population of 24 million in 2016 is projected to grow to 39.7 million by 2055

The concentration of Australia’s population near the coast, mostly in urban areas, creates substantial pressure on coastal ecosystems and environments in the east, south-east and south-west of the country.

The greatest impacts of population growth and demographic change on the environment are in our capital cities and along the coast of Australia, particularly in Queensland.

2016

Australia’s economy continues to grow

From 2011 until the end of 2014, Australia’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an average rate of 3 per cent per year. The average annual growth of GDP is projected to be 2.8 per cent during the next 40 years.

Continued growth in Australia’s population and economy, including to meet demand for exports, is likely to increase pressures on the Australian environment.

There are ongoing efforts to improve economic productivity alongside reducing the relative intensity of use of the environment. However, achieving long-term sustainability requires that the use of the environment is kept within biophysical limits.

2016

Australia’s energy intensity has improved in recent years

Since 2011, improvements in energy efficiency, a shift in the economy towards less energy-intensive sectors (e.g. services such as health, finance, education and tourism) and the decreasing cost of renewable energy have seen an improvement in Australia’s energy intensity. Further decoupling of energy consumption from economic growth will depend on continued improvements in energy efficiency, the shift towards less energy-intensive sectors and an increase in the proportion of renewable energy generated.

2016

Australia is developing creative approaches to reducing impacts on the environment

The effects of drivers are mediated by processes including the policies, culture and technology that we bring to bear on our use of the environment.

With the expected increase in population and associated growth of the economy, Australia is continuing to invest in innovative ways to increase the efficiency of natural resource use, decrease net waste and polluting emissions, reduce our overall dependence on nonrenewable resources, and repair environmental damage.

Achieving ecologically sustainable development depends on action to address both drivers of environmental change and the pressures they generate. This requires coherent, multisectoral policy packages and other systemic approaches, including cooperation with other nations, the creative use of technologies and the support of communities.

2016

Jackson WJ (2016). Drivers: Key findings. In: Australia state of the environment 2016, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra, https://soe.environment.gov.au/theme/drivers/key-findings, DOI 10.4226/94/58b659517ce65

Australia State of the Environment Report

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Key findings

Australia’s environment is shaped by both legacy impacts and contemporary drivers

Australia’s population of 24 million in 2016 is projected to grow to 39.7 million by 2055

Australia’s economy continues to grow

Australia’s energy intensity has improved in recent years

Australia is developing creative approaches to reducing impacts on the environment

More information

Authors

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Key findings

Australia’s environment is shaped by both legacy impacts and contemporary drivers

Australia’s population of 24 million in 2016 is projected to grow to 39.7 million by 2055

Australia’s economy continues to grow

Australia’s energy intensity has improved in recent years

Australia is developing creative approaches to reducing impacts on the environment

More information

Authors

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Acknowledgment of Country

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