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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Australia State of the Environment

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Government
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    Description
    Description
    Every five years the Australian Government commissions a national assessment of the state of the Australian environment. This review is independently authored and presents a peer-reviewed assessment of the current state of the Australian environment, recent trends, how it is managed and future outlook. The latest review, Australia State of the Environment (SoE) 2016 was released in March this year.

    SoE 2016 has taken more than two years to bring together, and was compiled by 18 lead authors and with contributions from several hundred other scientists in supporting or peer-reviewing roles. The full review includes a paper on the drivers of environmental change, nine detailed thematic reports (atmosphere, built environment, heritage, biodiversity, land, inland water, coasts, marine and Antarctic environment), and an overview synthesising all SoE 2016 reports. As the most comprehensive assessment of the state of Australias environment to date, SoE 2016 is recognised an important resource for helping to guide and prioritise the Australian Governments significant investment being made to protect the environment.

    Published on a new interactive digital platform for the first time, the review enables decision-makers, researchers and the public to explore and discover its findings in a variety of ways. The platform allows users to compare findings with the previous review (SoE 2011); search for trends in assessments; interrogate over 300 maps and graphs as well as download the underpinning data; and filter content by theme, trend, topic, grade or reporting framework.

    The Australian Government is committed to making ongoing improvements that enhance the currency and useability of this resource, as it moves towards the next 5 yearly review. In the interim the Australian Government will be exploring how it can capitalise on the potential of the digital platform to make more data available more frequently, ahead of SoE 2021.
    Partners
    Department of the Environment and Energy (Government). Bureau of Meteorology (Government), Australian Antarctic Division (Government), Australian Bureau of Statistics (Government), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Government), University of New South Wales (Academic Institution), Mackay Strategic (Other relevant actor).

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    By 2022, a new and revised assessment of the state of Australias environment will be made available for tabling in the Australian Parliament and for public release.
    In-kind contribution
    The level of resourcing needed for the production of the next State of the Environment report has not been determined at this stage.
    Staff / Technical expertise
    The level of funding supporting staff / technical expertise for the next State of the Environment report has not been determine at this stage.
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 January 2019 (start date)
    01 March 2022 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Department of the Environment and Energy
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Canberra, Australia
    Other beneficiaries
    environmental decision makers and managers, policy makers, the scientific community, business, industry, educational institutions, non-government organisations, anyone interested in the state of Australias environment
    Ocean Basins
    Indian Ocean, South Pacific, Southern Ocean
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Katrina Phillips, Director, State of the Environment Section, Department of the Environment and Energy