“Shocking” government environment report

Australia has suffered devastating wildlife and habitat losses according to the official five-year 2021 State of Environment report. Since the last report in 2016, nearly every category shows deterioration.

“It tells a story of crisis and decline in Australia’s environment [and] of a decade of government inaction and wilful ignorance,” said environment minister Tanya Plibersek.

The impacts of climate change, pollution, mining, invasive species and habitat loss are outlined in the report released today.

About 20 ecosystems are showing signs of collapse. Some other important findings in the report include:

Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent
Three quarters of Australia’s coastal saltmarshes have been lost since colonisation
There are now more non-native plant species in Australia than natives
More than 200 animal and plant species have been listed as threatened since 2016
Waterways, beaches and shorelines are in generally poor condition in areas near urban centres

Independent expert authors wrote each of the report’s 12 themes. Authors of the report included Dr Ian Cresswell, environmental scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Professor Emma Johnston, marine ecologist and dean of science at the University of Sydney and Dr Terri Janke, a leading Indigenous lawyer and expert on indigenous culture.

The final report was tabled with the former minister for the environment in December but held back by the Morrison government until after the recent federal election.