Topics

A topic is a specific issue or subject discussed in the report. Each theme discusses these topics in detail.

From this page you can use the filters below to refine a list of topics of interest to you, or, list all topics available in the SoE report.

Marine environment

Additional pressures

Localised, small-scale pressures on the marine environment associated with offshore tourism activities, such as offshore pontoons and cruise vessels (mostly confined to the Great Barrier Reef and the North-west Marine Region), are possibly being exerted on coral reef environm
2016
Relates to
Marine environment
Pressures
Great Barrier ReefMarine North West
Ambient air quality

Air quality index

In a number of states, the agency responsible for monitoring air quality reports results at each station in its network in terms of an air quality index (AQI; Box ATM9) for all or some of the pollutants covered b
2016
Relates to
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Ambient air quality

Air toxics

Air toxics are pollutants that are usually present in ambient air in relatively low concentrations, but have characteristics such as toxicity or persistence that make them hazardous to human, plant or animal health.
2016
Relates to
Ambient air quality
State and trends
North East CoastSouth Western PlateauTasmaniaGreater BrisbaneGreater DarwinGreater MelbourneGreater PerthGreater SydneyIndian Ocean
Biodiversity

Altered fire regimes

The Land report describes how fire frequencies have increased in Australia during the past decade.
2016
Relates to
Biodiversity
Pressures
Ambient air quality

Ambient air quality: 2011–16 in context

Overall, the pressures on air quality remain very similar to those present in 2011: a growing population, greater urban density and increasing car travel, but a slowing in the growth of public transport patronage.
2016
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Introduction
South East Coast
Antarctic environment

Antarctic environment: 2011–16 in context

Since 2011, the Antarctic environment has continued to respond to global pressures from human activity.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
Introduction
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

Antarctic governance

The Antarctic Treaty and a set of related international agreements, known collectively as the Antarctic Treaty System, provide the framework for governance of the Antarctic region.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
Introduction
Antarctica
Marine environment

Anthropogenic noise

Humans and their activities in the marine environment introduce noise into the ocean in various ways.
2016
Relates to
Marine environment
Pressures
Marine Temperate EastMarine South WestGreat Barrier ReefMarine NorthMarine North WestMarine South East
Heritage

Approaches to resilience

The concept of resilience has not been widely applied in Australian heritage management (see ‘Resilience’ in the SoE 2011 Heritage chapter, SoE Committee 2011).
2016
Relates to
Heritage
Resilience
Biodiversity

Assessing the effectiveness of biodiversity management

Although during the past few decades significant effort has been made to understand the effectiveness of biodiversity management actions, a major issue that complicates assessment is the highly variable climatic and hydrological conditions in Australia.
2016
Relates to
Biodiversity
Effectiveness of management
Murray Darling
Heritage

Assessment of effectiveness of heritage management

In SoE 2011, the framework and structure for the management effectiveness assessment summaries were arranged to align with the business plan of the Heritage and Wildlife Division of the then Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Comm
2016
Relates to
Heritage
Effectiveness of management
Coasts

Atmosphere

Australia’s coast bears the brunt of national airborne emissions, because the vast majority of people and large cities are on the coast.
2016
Relates to
Coasts
Pressures
Greater BrisbaneGreat Barrier ReefGreater SydneyIndian Ocean
Antarctic environment

Australian Antarctic Program’s station environment: Contaminated sites and pollution

Although human activity across Antarctica has increased during recent decades, it remains much lower than for all other continents. Human activity in Antarctica is highly seasonal, with the peak presence and activity occurring during the summer months.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

Australian Antarctic Program’s station environment: Operation indicators

Although human activity across Antarctica has increased during recent decades, it remains much lower than for all other continents. Human activity in Antarctica is highly seasonal, with the peak presence and activity occurring during the summer months.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

Australian Antarctic Territory

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

Australia’s emissions in context

Although Australia’s emissions in 2015 of 541 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent2 (MtCO2-e) appear small alongside the most recent estimates from major emitters such as China (10,756
2016
Relates to
Climate
Pressures
Greater BrisbaneGreater DarwinGreater HobartGreater Melbourne
Inland water

Australia’s water resources

Drainage divisions are the fundamental spatial unit for assessing the state of the inland water environment.
2016
Relates to
Inland water
Introduction
South East CoastTimor SeaGulf of CarpentariaAntarctica
Inland water

Australia’s water use

Rainfall and run-off amounts vary widely from year to year and place to place, and we have a water management infrastructure with an accessible capacity of more than 80,000 GL to assist in redistributing water across time and space.
2016
Relates to
Inland water
Introduction
Murray Darling
Biodiversity

Availability of information

No consistent national-level data are available on the impact of pressures on all aspects of biodiversity in the past 5 years.
2016
Relates to
Biodiversity
Pressures
Biodiversity

Availability of information

Understanding of the state and trend of biodiversity in Australia is limited. Few long-term national-scale monitoring programs are available; there are some disparate datasets on a smattering of species and ecosystems at regional to local levels.
2016
Relates to
Biodiversity
State and trends
Great Barrier Reef
Biodiversity

Biodiversity: 2011–16 in context

Overall, this 2016 report raises many of the same issues that were raised in all the previous SoE reports dating back to 1996, including the 2011 report.
2016
Relates to
Biodiversity
Introduction
Coasts

Biodiversity: Ecological processes

The distribution of threatened species around Australia provides an indication of current human impacts on native biota.
2016
Relates to
Coasts
State and trends
TasmaniaGreater BrisbaneGreat Barrier ReefEast Coast
Coasts

Biodiversity: Habitat-forming species

The distribution of threatened species around Australia provides an indication of current human impacts on native biota.
2016
Relates to
Coasts
State and trends
South West CoastSouth Australian GulfNorth East CoastTasmaniaGreater DarwinGreater AdelaideGreat Barrier ReefMarine NorthMarine North WestGreater SydneyGulf of Carpentaria
Coasts

Biodiversity: Species groups

The distribution of threatened species around Australia provides an indication of current human impacts on native biota.
2016
Relates to
Coasts
State and trends
South East CoastMurray DarlingNorth East CoastTasmaniaTimor SeaMarine South WestGreater BrisbaneGreater HobartGreat Barrier ReefEast CoastGreater MelbourneGreater PerthMarine NorthMarine North WestGreater SydneyGulf of Carpentaria
Coasts

Biodiversity: Threatened species

The distribution of threatened species around Australia provides an indication of current human impacts on native biota.
2016
Relates to
Coasts
State and trends
South West CoastNorth East CoastTasmaniaGreater BrisbaneGreater DarwinGreater Sydney
Built environment

Built environment: 2011–16 in context

Australia’s growing population—particularly in our major cities—increasingly places pressure on livability (urban amenity, housing, transport, air and water quality).
2016
Relates to
Built environment
Introduction
Greater MelbourneGreater PerthGreater Sydney
Ambient air quality

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is not discussed in SoE 2016, because there has been little change since the 2011 report. Please refer to SoE 2011 for information on carbon monoxide.
2016
Relates to
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Biodiversity

Changed hydrology

Surface-water and groundwater conditions have varied considerably since 2011, largely in response to climate. Changes to flows and water levels are described in detail in the Inland water report.
2016
Relates to
Biodiversity
Pressures
Murray Darling
Inland water

Changing land use and management

Land use and land management can produce pressures on aquatic environments that include changes to flow, water quality and the availability of habitat.
2016
Relates to
Inland water
Pressures
TasmaniaGreat Barrier Reef
Marine environment

Climate and system variability

Climatic variability associated with increased monsoonal activity during the summer months in the tropical north and seasonal cycles in the temperate south leads to variations in water temperature (e.g. Figure MAR4), rainfall pattern
2016
Relates to
Marine environment
Pressures
TasmaniaMarine Temperate EastMarine South WestGreat Barrier ReefMarine North WestMarine South EastIndian Ocean

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