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Australia State of the Environment Report

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  • Marine environment
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Topics

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

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.

Heritage

In this chapter

Assessing the condition of Australia's heritage places is hampered by an incomplete and unrepresentative set of formally identified heritage places, and by the absence of a comprehensive body of reliable national data
2011
  • Read more about In this chapter
Relates to
Heritage
Introduction
Coasts

In this chapter

Many state of the environment reports around Australia and the world do not include a chapter on coasts, considering them under the topics of land, water and the marine environment. The State of the Environment Committee preparing this report considered that the unique characteristics of coastal
2011
  • Read more about In this chapter
Relates to
Coasts
Introduction
Biodiversity

In this chapter

A commonly used historical reference point for State of the Environment (SoE) and related assessments is the biodiversity understood to exist immediately before European settlement of Australia (approximately 1750).
2011
  • Read more about In this chapter
Relates to
Biodiversity
Introduction
Built environment

Increased consumption

Both increased population and increased economic growth tend to lead to increased consumption.
2011
  • Read more about Increased consumption
Relates to
Built environment
Pressures
Built environment

Increased extreme weather events

The built environment is vulnerable to weather events such as storms—particularly cyclones and hailstorms—and weather-related events such as bushfires. 
2011
  • Read more about Increased extreme weather events
Relates to
Built environment
Pressures
Built environment

Increased pollution

Increased traffic, unmitigated, will lead to increased air pollution.
2011
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Relates to
Built environment
Pressures
Built environment

Increased sea levels

Climate change is expected to lead to increases in sea level, with projections of a sea level rise of up to 1.1 metres by 2100.
2011
  • Read more about Increased sea levels
  • See Assessment Summaries
Relates to
Built environment
Pressures
Built environment

Increased traffic

Both population and economic growth typically cause increased traffic, which can increase traffic congestion.
2011
  • Read more about Increased traffic
Relates to
Built environment
Pressures
Built environment

Increased urban footprint

As the urban population of Australia continues to grow, additional urban land is required to house the population, or existing urban land has to be used more intensely—together, these changes are known as an increased urban footprint.
2011
  • Read more about Increased urban footprint
Relates to
Built environment
Pressures
Heritage

Indigenous heritage

​The connection between people and country is a fundamental aspect of Indigenous cultural heritage.
2011
  • Read more about Indigenous heritage
Relates to
Heritage
Outlook
Climate

Indirect (secondary and tertiary) effects of pressures on climate

Direct effects on climate, such as those outlined in Section 2.2.3, trigger indirect effects further down a complex chain of cause and effect.
2011
  • Read more about Indirect (secondary and tertiary) effects of pressures on climate
Relates to
Climate
Pressures
Ambient air quality

Indoor air quality

The quality of the air inside our homes, offices, public buildings, schools and so on is affected by many factors, including the quality of the outside air, building materials (particularly volatile materials like glues and paints), ventilation, furnishings, appliances (particularly unflued gas a
2011
  • Read more about Indoor air quality
  • See Assessment Summaries
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Ambient air quality

Indoor air quality

Whereas Australia has had national standards and goals set for key pollutants in outdoor (i.e. ambient) air, there are no standards or guidelines for pollutant levels in indoor air.
2011
  • Read more about Indoor air quality
  • See Assessment Summaries
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Effectiveness of management
Ambient air quality

Indoor air quality

Despite significant reductions in the percentage of Australian homes using wood as a source of home heating,206 the cost of the main alternatives to wood (i.e. electricity and gas) have risen steeply in recent years and c
2011
  • Read more about Indoor air quality
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Risks
Ambient air quality

Indoor air quality

Like citizens of other highly urbanised societies, most Australians spend more than 90% of their time indoors, leading to concern about the possible impacts of indoor air quality on our health.
2011
  • Read more about Indoor air quality
Relates to
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Coasts

Inland water flows and use

River pollution often arises from upstream development and land use. However, it has particular impacts on the environment where it enters estuaries and the nearshore coastal environment.
2011
  • Read more about Inland water flows and use
Relates to
Coasts
Pressures
Heritage

Inputs

Inputs to heritage management can be assessed by considering the financial, human and other resources that are available for management programs to address pressures and risks to heritage values
2011
  • Read more about Inputs
Relates to
Heritage
Effectiveness of management
Marine environment

Integrated management

Integrated marine management involves establishing objectives for managing all activities pertaining to assets and values of the environment. 
2011
  • Read more about Integrated management
Relates to
Marine environment
Effectiveness of management
Biodiversity

Interactions among pressures

While there are many interactions among pressures, emerging and future climate change is likely to magnify the effects of all previously identified pressures.
2011
  • Read more about Interactions among pressures
  • See Assessment Summaries
Relates to
Biodiversity
Pressures
Biodiversity

Invasive species and pathogens

Invasive species are one of the two most frequently cited pressures for EPBC-listed species (the other being fragmentation of habitat).
2011
  • Read more about Invasive species and pathogens
Relates to
Biodiversity
Pressures
North East Coast
Land

Knowledge and institutional arrangements

National SoE reporting began in 1996.
2011
  • Read more about Knowledge and institutional arrangements
Relates to
Land
Effectiveness of management
Land

Land use and management

The absolute and relative extent of Australia’s principal land uses are summarised in Table 5.1 (2005–06 data).
2011
  • Read more about Land use and management
Relates to
Land
State and trends
Inland water

Land use and management, including pollutants and nutrients

Less than 1% of northern Australia (the drainage divisions between Broome and Cairns) is cleared or intensively used.
2011
  • Read more about Land use and management, including pollutants and nutrients
Relates to
Inland water
Risks
Land

Land uses

This section considers the pressures associated with each of the major land uses.
2011
  • Read more about Land uses
Relates to
Land
Pressures
Heritage

Likely trends in key factors

Australia's heritage includes a diverse array of places with a wide spectrum of natural and cultural heritage values. 
2011
  • Read more about Likely trends in key factors
Relates to
Heritage
Outlook
Built environment

Livability

Livability' is a term that can have many meanings, but for the purposes of this chapter it relates to those aspects of the quality of urban life that are determined predominantly by the physical nature of the built environment.
2011
  • Read more about Livability
Relates to
Built environment
State and trends
Biodiversity

Local climate

In this chapter, climate change is considered to be a driver of change and climate itself is the pressure. 
2011
  • Read more about Local climate
Relates to
Biodiversity
Pressures
South East Coast
Antarctic environment

Management achievements

Australian officials actively participate in the international forums of the Antarctic Treaty System to promote improved environmental protection and conservation outcomes for the Antarctic region.
2011
  • Read more about Management achievements
  • See Assessment Summaries
Relates to
Antarctic environment
Effectiveness of management
Antarctica
Biodiversity

Management achievements

Management achievement is about delivering expected outputs and outcomes.
2011
  • Read more about Management achievements
Relates to
Biodiversity
Effectiveness of management
Australian Capital Territory
Biodiversity

Management capacity

Management capacity is about the adequacy of resources and management processes for implementing plans and policies.
2011
  • Read more about Management capacity
Relates to
Biodiversity
Effectiveness of management

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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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Acknowledgment of Country

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.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2017-2018

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