‘POOR AND DETERIORATING’ ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION IN AUSTRALIA: REPORT

Tue 19 July 2022:

A key report released on Tuesday found, Australia’s environment is in “poor and deteriorating” condition and is under increasing pressure from climate change, pollution, and mining.

The State of the Environment 2021 report, which is released every five years, states that investments in biodiversity conservation are insufficient and that invasive species and habitat loss are also increasingly endangering species and ecosystems.

Australia is one of the OECD countries with one of the highest rates of decline and has lost more mammal species than any other continent.

The number of species classified as threatened has increased by 8% since 2016, and as a result of the severe “Black Summer” bushfires in 2019–20, it is anticipated to rise in the coming years.

The increasing frequency and severity of extreme events are affecting human wellbeing, and rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns affected by climate change are putting pressure on inland water systems.

Australia experienced a drought from 2017 to 2019 that topped the worst-ever drought previously recorded, followed by bushfires in 2019-20 that saw huge areas of land burned, including 8 million hectares of native vegetation. In 2021 and this year, there have been record-breaking floods in the country’s east.

According to the report, increased national leadership is necessary to promote coordinated environmental action. It specifically calls for cross-sector collaboration and a focus on developing solutions with the knowledge and input of Indigenous communities.

The report was submitted to the Australian government under Scott Morrison last year, but they chose not to make it public in advance of the May election despite receiving repeated criticism for their lack of environmental action. Anthony Albanese’s new Labor administration has committed to accelerating climate action.

Tanya Plibersek, Australia’s Minister for Environment and Water, stated on Tuesday that the country wants to protect 30% of its land and oceans by the year 2030. This could involve establishing new national parks and marine protected areas.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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