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Australia State of the Environment Report

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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.

Antarctic environment

Pressures on the terrestrial environment

As for the marine environment, pressures on the terrestrial environment operating on a global scale include anthropogenic climate change (e.g.
2011
  • Read more about Pressures on the terrestrial environment
Relates to
Antarctic environment
Pressures
Antarctica
Marine environment

Pressures resulting from climate change

Australia's oceans and marine ecosystems are changing in response to changes in the global climate systems.
2011
  • Read more about Pressures resulting from climate change
Relates to
Marine environment
Pressures
South East CoastTasmaniaMarine South WestGreat Barrier ReefMarine North WestMarine South East
Heritage

Processes

Heritage management processes are assessed by considering the governance systems in place that provide appropriate statutory responses, and adaptive management practices based on effective monitoring systems and adequate resources.
2011
  • Read more about Processes
Relates to
Heritage
Effectiveness of management
Climate

Rainfall

From 1970 to 2010, total annual rainfall declined over much of eastern Australia and south-west Western Australia
2011
  • Read more about Rainfall
Relates to
Climate
State and trends
Murray DarlingTasmaniaGreater DarwinIndian Ocean
Inland water

Recent climate

Assessing the state of inland water environments in 2011 is difficult, due to the effects of recent droughts. Long, dry periods are a natural feature of the continent. 
2011
  • Read more about Recent climate
  • See Assessment Summaries
Relates to
Inland water
Pressures
South West CoastMurray DarlingIndian Ocean
Coasts

Recent developments

In 2009, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts handed down its report to the Australian Government: Managing our coastal zone in a changing climate: the time to act is now.
2011
  • Read more about Recent developments
Relates to
Coasts
Effectiveness of management
Inland water

Recent national assessments of management performance

The National Water Commission reviewed the environmental water management arrangements around Australia at 30 June 2010.
2011
  • Read more about Recent national assessments of management performance
Relates to
Inland water
Effectiveness of management
Land

Regional and landscape-scale pressures

Australia’s fire regimes—the frequency, intensity and timing of bushfires—have major consequences for vegetation distribution, composition and condition, and soil bareness and erosion.
2011
  • Read more about Regional and landscape-scale pressures
Relates to
Land
Pressures
Coasts

Resilience and adaptive capacity

​Many small island states, including Australia’s external territories and nations with which Australia interacts in relation to environmental issues in the region, are highly sensitive to sea level rise resulting from climate change and have limited scope for adaptation (i.e. t
2011
  • Read more about Resilience and adaptive capacity
Relates to
Coasts
Resilience
Marine environment

Resilience of marine systems

​Marine populations wax and wane over time. This natural variation is caused by the natural environmental drivers of change, such as differences in conditions between seasons and years. 
2011
  • Read more about Resilience of marine systems
Relates to
Marine environment
Resilience
Climate

Resilience of our climate

To date, the apparent resilience of the atmospheric–oceanic system has been a major factor limiting the rate and extent of change in climate (largely due to the capacity of the oceans to absorb carbon dioxide and heat).
2011
  • Read more about Resilience of our climate
Relates to
Climate
Resilience
Climate

Resilience of our environment and society

Although the changing physical resilience of the atmospheric–oceanic system is a critically important focus of concern, so too is the resilience of different human and animal populations to the changes in climate that are already occurring and will continue for the foreseeable future.
2011
  • Read more about Resilience of our environment and society
Relates to
Climate
Resilience
Land

Resources and capacity for management

Investment in management of the land environment includes financial and in-kind commitments by all levels of government, private landowners and businesses, nongovernment organisations, Indigenous Australians and communities. 
2011
  • Read more about Resources and capacity for management
Relates to
Land
Effectiveness of management
Inland water

Reviews of state and regional management

The State of the environment report: Western Australia 2007 noted that 33 actions were identified for inland waters in response to the 1998 report.
2011
  • Read more about Reviews of state and regional management
  • See Assessment Summaries
Relates to
Inland water
Effectiveness of management
Coasts

Sea level rise

The impact of sea level rise will be felt most strongly in our coastal regions. 
2011
  • Read more about Sea level rise
Relates to
Coasts
Risks
Marine environment

Shipping and associated infrastructure

The shipping industry, with its associated substantial infrastructure (ports, harbours, shipping lanes, coastal support), is the major transportation link between Australia and other nations, and provides important linkages between regional Australia and the cities.
2011
  • Read more about Shipping and associated infrastructure
Relates to
Marine environment
Pressures
Land

Soil

Understanding the current state and condition of Australian soils requires an appreciation of their diversity and capability to support different forms of land use.
2011
  • Read more about Soil
Relates to
Land
State and trends
Land

Soil

Our soils, landforms and vegetation have co-evolved over millions of years. Their health and condition are inextricably linked. Soil health has a strong influence on the growth and condition of all types of vegetation.
2011
  • Read more about Soil
Relates to
Land
Introduction
Biodiversity

Spatial distribution of pressures

​Listings of threatened species under the EPBC Act include identification of the pressures that are considered to cause the threat. 
2011
  • Read more about Spatial distribution of pressures
Relates to
Biodiversity
Pressures
Ambient air quality

Stratospheric ozone

Global production of ODSs continues to decline (Figure 3.30). However, due to the long atmospheric lifetimes of a number of important ODSs, they will continue to impact levels of stratospheric ozone for many decades.
2011
  • Read more about Stratospheric ozone
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Ambient air quality

Stratospheric ozone

On the basis of the extent of international sign-on and results achieved, the Montreal Protocol is one of the world’s most effective international environment protection agreements.
2011
  • Read more about Stratospheric ozone
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Effectiveness of management
Ambient air quality

Stratospheric ozone

A number of the key ODSs persist in the atmosphere for long periods.
2011
  • Read more about Stratospheric ozone
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Resilience
Ambient air quality

Stratospheric ozone

As discussed in Sections 3.3.1 and 3.4.1, the prognosis for the future
2011
  • Read more about Stratospheric ozone
Relates to
Ambient air quality
Risks
Ambient air quality

Stratospheric ozone

The stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere that begins at an altitude of around 10 kilometres above Earth’s surface and extends to approximately 50 kilometres.
2011
  • Read more about Stratospheric ozone
Relates to
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Marine environment

Structure of the oceans

Australia is heavily influenced by four major ocean currents
2011
  • Read more about Structure of the oceans
Relates to
Marine environment
Introduction
TasmaniaEast CoastIndian Ocean
Drivers

Summary

The major drivers of changes to the Australian environment—climate change, population growth and economic growth—are historically related to environmental impact.
2011
  • Read more about Summary
Relates to
Introduction
Overview

Summary of Antarctic environment

Although a long distance away from Australia and the rest of the world, Antarctica is under the influence of human activities just like any other continent. Australia operates four permanently occupied Antarctic bases (three on the continent and one at subantarctic Macquarie Island).
2011
  • Read more about Summary of Antarctic environment
Relates to
Antarctic environment
Introduction
Overview

Summary of Atmosphere

Over the relatively short span of 250 years, and for the first time in human history, we have changed and are continuing to change the composition of the atmosphere on a global scale.
2011
  • Read more about Summary of Atmosphere
Relates to
Atmosphere
Introduction
Overview

Summary of Biodiversity

Biodiversity in Australia has declined since European settlement. This decline is seen in all components of biodiversity—genes, species, communities and ecosystems—and the evidence from pressures suggests that many components of biodiversity continue to decline.
2011
  • Read more about Summary of Biodiversity
Relates to
Biodiversity
Introduction
Overview

Summary of Built environment

Australia's diverse built environment faces many pressures—driven by population and economic growth, and climate change—and is only in a fair shape.
2011
  • Read more about Summary of Built environment
Relates to
Built environment
Introduction

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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.

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