Richard Musgrove
Zoologist, Dr Richard Musgrove is a science journalist based in Far North Queensland.
Relatively good rainfall in Australia last year enabled the nation’s beleaguered fauna and flora to experience a short-term recovery, according to the latest state of the environment report.
“Australia’s Environment 2024” (AER) scored a healthy-looking 7.7 out of 10, a fourth good year in a row.
But environmental scientists describe this period as a “blip” driven by La Nina.
The annual report is prepared by the Australian National University and Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) which runs field observatory and data collection centres across Australia. The report scores the impact of environmental conditions on the nation’s ecosystems and natural resources.
The report’s lead author, ANU Professor Albert Van Dijk says: “Climate change hasn’t gone away.
“La Ninas have shielded Australia for the first three of those years and last year panned out quite well for other reasons. But the bad times will come back. So, there’s no room for complacency,” he told Cosmos.
As usual, 2024 was characterised by extremes of land and ocean temperature, across Australia. Average annual temperature was the second highest on record, after 2019, the year of the Black Summer bushfires, the effects of which are still being felt, says ANU co-author co-author Shoshana Rapley.
Habitat destruction, invasive species and climate change are still ever-increasing threats. 41 newly-threatened species were added to the EPBC (Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) list, 16 more than the long-term average.
“Since 2000, the abundance of threatened birds, mammals, plants, and frogs has declined by an average of 58 per cent,” report co-author Tayla Lawrie, from the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), said.
But Van Dijk says environmental conditions improved from 2023 to 2024 for most states and territories, except South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.
“Parts of South Australia experienced their driest year since at least 2000, leading to a state-wide score of 3.8 out of 10 in 2024 – the lowest in the country.
“On the other end of the spectrum, parts of inland Northern Territory experienced their wettest year in more than two decades. The territory recorded the best score in the country with 8.6 out of 10.
“New South Wales saw the biggest improvement from 2023, from 5.8 to 7.0 out of 10 in 2024. Nationally, rainfall was well above average in January and March and again in November and December.
“Temperatures over Australia were the second highest on record with increased hot days, while snow cover fell to its lowest level since 2018. National rainfall was 18 per cent above the average and despite high temperatures, fire activity remained below average for the sixth consecutive year.
“Although environmental conditions were encouraging, this is largely the result of favourable short-term climate conditions rather than sustained long-term gains,” says Van Dijk.
“In most regions, the past year saw relatively good rainfall that allowed vegetation to thrive and soil health to improve. Meanwhile, the global climate emergency continues to escalate, and Australia remains highly vulnerable.”
The big question is — what happens next? Who takes notice of the report’s big conclusions, its recommendations?
Van Dijk says translation into national action is hampered by the absence of a national body — Australia doesn’t have an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and “it looks like we are not going to get one anytime soon.”
In some countries a survey like Australia’s Environment Report would be prepared by an EPA. “The ANU and TERN do it because no-one else does”, says Van Dijk.
“But we do know it gets used by local governments, and by natural resource management groups, as context for them to interpret what they are seeing in their area, to try and separate impacts of natural processes, climate predominantly, from their own measures.”
“Vegetation loss, as cities grow, does come up in the data, as a result of planning decisions made in local government areas (LGAs).”
Once published the AER is sent to all members of parliament with scorecards attached for their respective electorates. “I hope it gives them some background in their daily decision-making”.
“I think it’s crazy that a nation like Australia is one of the few industrialised nations doesn’t do that kind of national scale reporting, other than a very thick but very general report.”
State of the environment: crisis reminder after year of disasters
