Australia's environment improved slightly in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of above-average conditions, but major challenges remain following a year of record-breaking heat, mass coral bleaching and declining biodiversity, according to the latest Australia's Environment Report , led by The Australian National University (ANU).
Land and ocean temperatures reached new extremes in 2024. The annual average temperature across Australia in 2024 was the second highest on record after 2019, while the mean sea surface temperature around Australia was the highest on record.
This led to the fifth coral bleaching event in less than ten years in the Great Barrier Reef, as well as a severe bleaching event in Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef.
The report also found habitat destruction, invasive species and ongoing climate change continue to threaten our native ecosystems. 41 species were added to Australia's threatened species list in 2024. While a significant drop from the record 130 additions in 2023, it remains well above the long-term average of 25 species per year.
In 2024, Australia's environment scored a 7.7 out of 10 at the national scale. The three years prior saw the country score between 6.5 and 8.5 out of 10, after extremely low scores between 0.4 and 2.0 out of 10 in the disaster years of 2019 and 2020.
But lead author of the report, ANU Professor Albert Van Dijk warns the favourable environmental improvements of the last four years do not negate long-term concerns.
"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," Professor Van Dijk said.
"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, in 2024, 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. 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."
Each year, the report's authors examine the Threatened Species Index, which looks at the trajectory of Australia's threatened wildlife.
"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.
However, Lawrie said the latest update offers a glimmer of hope. A slight two per cent increase for the most recent year of the Index (2021) suggests that declines may be stabilising for some groups, with signs of recovery for others.
Lawrie said that while encouraging, ongoing long-term monitoring is essential to confirm which species are improving and which continue to suffer.
Report co-author Shoshana Rapley from ANU points out that the devastating and long-lasting effects of the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires on our nation's biodiversity continues to reverberate.
"Five years on, the legacy of the Black Summer bushfires is still evident, with more than 50 per cent of species newly listed or uplisted on the threatened species list directly affected by the fires," Rapley said.
"Meanwhile, 14 species were uplisted to a higher category of extinction risk. Only one species was removed from the list - the southern bluefin tuna. It joins the short list of only 11 species that have successfully made it off the threatened species list due to population recovery."
2024 was Earth's hottest year on record globally , for the fourth year in a row, while Australia's per capita greenhouse gas emissions remain among the highest in the world. Professor Van Dijk said now is not the time for complacency.
"Policymakers, businesses and individuals should act decisively to secure the future of Australia's environment. Strategies such as investment in renewable energy, stronger land management policies, and increased biodiversity conservation efforts are essential to stop the underlying degrading trend," he said.
Conducted annually, the report's authors analyse vast amounts of satellite station and field measurements. Australia's Environment Report is produced by ANU and TERN. The full report and score cards for individual regions are available online at: https://ausenv.tern.org.au/aer.html .
