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www.environment.gov.au/soe
SoE 2011 – Coasts chapter overview
This presentation is one of a series of Australia State of the Environment 2011 (SoE 2011) presentations given by SoE Committee members and departmental staff following the release of the SoE 2011.
This material was developed to be delivered as part of an oral presentation. The full report should be referred to for understanding the context of this information.
For more information please refer to:http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/index.htmlOr contact the SoE team via email:soe@environment.gov.au
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New cover page
Presentation - SoE 2011 – Coasts chapter overviewPhoto: Aerial view of the Pilbara, by Andrew Griffiths, Lensaloft
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State of the Environment reporting
A report on the Australian environment must be tabled in Parliament every five years
No current regulations regarding scope, content or process
All reports so far written by independent committees
www.environment.gov.au/soe
Purpose of SoE 2011
Provide relevant and useful information on environmental issues to the public and decision-makers...
… to raise awareness and support more informed environmental management decisions …
… leading to more sustainable use and effective conservation of environmental assets.
www.environment.gov.au/soe
State of the Environment 2011 Committee
Chair
Tom Hatton (Director, CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country)
Members
Steven Cork (research ecologist and futurist)
Peter Harper (Deputy Australian Statistician)
Rob Joy (School of Global Studies, Social Science & Planning, RMIT)
Peter Kanowski (Fenner School of Environment & Society, ANU)
Richard Mackay (heritage specialist, Godden Mackay Logan)
Neil McKenzie (Chief, CSIRO Land and Water)
Trevor Ward (marine and fisheries ecologist)
Barbara Wienecke – ex officio (Australian Antarctic Division, DSEWPaC)
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What’s new in 2011?
Improved relevance to decision makers
More detailed information
Discussion of the major drivers of change
Wide range of credible resources used in the analyses
Report-card style assessments of condition, pressures and management effectiveness
Discussions of current resilience and future risks
Outlooks
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Quality and credibility
Independence – written by an independent committee with relevant expertise, tasked with advocating for ‘accurate, robust and meaningful environmental reporting and identification of policy issues, but not for any particular policy position’
Authors sought best available evidence from credible sources
Extensive consultation
Workshops to determine consensus in expert opinion where evidence low
Transparency about quality of evidence and level of consensus
Peer reviewed (47+ reviewers of chapters and supplementary materials)
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SoE 2011 products
Full report – hard copy and online
Summary with 17 headlines Nine theme chapters – each with key findings Report cards
In-Brief – hard copy and online
50 page summary of full report
Additional online materials
Commissioned reports Workshop reports Additional tables and figures Peer review information
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Assessment summaries in the report
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Drivers chapter – context for rest of SoE
How are a
changing
climate,
population
growth and
economic growth
creating
pressures on our
environment?
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SoE 2011 Headlines
17 headlines
in summary
chapter give a
high level
overview of
the big issues
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Key Findings (in theme chapters)
‘key findings’
give an
overview of
more specific
conclusions
for each
theme
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What is the general state of the environment? Much of Australia is in good condition shape or improving
Wind erosion has decreased
Some major threats to vegetation cover are lessening
Water consumption has fallen considerably in recent years
Many urban air pollutants are on the decline
Use of public transport is on the rise
Other parts are in poor condition or deteriorating The East Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing billions of tonnes of ice a year
Soil acidification and pests and weeds are affecting large areas of the continent
Our natural and cultural heritage continues to be threatened
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Drivers of environmental change
The principal drivers of pressures on Australia’s environment—and its future condition—are climate variability and change, population growth and economic growth
It is likely that we are already seeing the effects of climate change in Australia
The Australian economy is projected to grow by 2.7% per year until 2050
Under the base scenario, Australia’s population of 22.2 million people in 2010 is projected to grow to 35.9 million by 2050
We have opportunities to decouple population and economic growth from pressure on our environment
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Persistent pressures on our environment
Past decisions and practices have left ongoing impacts on our environment
Introduction of feral animals and weeds
Land clearing
Pollution
Unsustainable water resource management
Intense harvest of fish stocks
Lack of integrated and supported management
Our changing climate, and growing population and economy, are now confronting us with new challenges
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Introduction
This talk, and the Coasts chapter
use data drawn primarily from other parts of the SoE report
have a slightly different structure, with 4 sections:
Major issues
Governance
Risks & Resilience
Outlook
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Introduction
The transition between terrestrial and marine environments is one of the sharpest changes in habitat on Earth, with unique species and ecosystems
Australia’s population is focused strongly around its coastline, especially around estuaries of major river systems.....
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Population distribution at June 2010
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Introduction
Governance issues are highly
complex, involving local, state
and national governments and
interest groups, with conflict
where objectives differ
Future change will strongly
impact the landscape and
ecosystems of coastal
environments
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Key findings
The major ongoing risks to Australia’s coasts are:
those relating to climate change, esp. sea level rise
demographic change
The future of coastal Australia depends largely on:
how rapidly these changes occur
how extreme they are, and
how Australians prepare for and respond to them
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Key findings
Variations in climate, and changes in population size and composition have been major drivers of pressure on the coasts over the past decade
Pressures affecting Australian coasts are similar to those in previous SoE reports
The greatest reductions in native vegetation extent have been in eastern, SE and SW Australia
Some land use and management practices have reduced some pressures
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Key findings
All chapters of this report cite examples of promising responses to coastal challenges by governments, but outcomes for some major issues are still not achieved
Debate about coastal governance and management advanced with the 2009 report Managing our coastal zone in a changing climate: the time to act is now
Recent research concluded that the ability to adapt to emerging pressures, especially climate change, is low and declining in many parts of Australia
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Major issues for coastal environments
The 3 drivers of environmental change—climate change,
population growth and economic growth—result in a range of
pressures on our coastal environment
Our coastal regions bring together many of the issues identified
for other themes
This section presents an assessment of the major drivers,
pressures and impacts on the state of coastal environments, as
well as the responses that have been made to manage coasts
as a national asset
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Major issues for coastal environments
Atmosphere
Inland water flows and use
Coastal land
Coastal marine waters
Biodiversity
Coastal heritage
Population growth & urban development
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Major issues – atmosphere
Air quality in major urban centres is generally good
Climate change is emerging as a major driver of change for Australian coasts & marine areas
A significant impact of climate change is sea level rise (shown in next slide)
Management responses have focused on impacts of climate combined with other drivers/pressures
Responses include: supporting scientific studies
dissemination of information
policies that facilitate adaptation
plans that factor in climate change Pho
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Local sea level rise – early 1990s to June 2010
mm/yr
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Major issues – inland water flows and use
River pollution from upstream development and land use impacts estuaries and the nearshore coastal environment
Desalination of sea water to help offset water shortages brought on by climate change and drought increased sharply from 2005-10
Coastal environments and their species particularly vulnerable to:
seawater intrusion withdrawal of water from rivers for human use
Improved management of coastal waters during the last decade includes programs to ensure river and estuary health in metropolitan areas
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Major issues – coastal land
Several major trends in land use that have had impacts on coastal Australia:
urban expansion in capital cities and major regional coastal
cities
changes to rivers influencing nutrient and water flows;
reductions in sediments and chemicals reaching the coast
expansion of conservation and Indigenous areas
declines in extent of native forest managed for wood
production
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Major issues – coastal land (continued)
increases in areas managed for conservation
disturbance of acid-sulfate soils remains a major
consequence of coastal development, with significant costs
Introduced weeds and pest species have contributed to
national reductions in biodiversity and marine, estuarine and
coastal productivity.
For vegetation, impacts on the coastal strip are highly variable
around the Australian coastline, as shown in the next slide.....
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Remaining native vegetation for IBRA regions
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Major issues – coastal marine waters
Pressures from fishing result from coastal urban development,
population growth, and economic drivers, although fishing
pressures decreasing overall
Sea surface temperatures have increased since the early 20th
century, impacting in many ways, e.g. distribution & abundance
of species
An emerging threat is from pathogens & pests; spread by people,
cargo, fishing gear, & boats
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Major issues – biodiversity
Introduction of weeds and other pests has contributed to national reductions in biodiversity, and in marine, estuarine and coastal productivity
Much uncertainty about how species and ecological systems will be affected by climate change
Many species are threatened by activities associated with Australia’s coast-based population......
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Threatened species within 100km of the coast
Source: Environmental Resources Information Network, Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2011
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Major issues – coastal heritage
Coastal areas include many important sites of natural and cultural heritage, e.g. wetlands, places of importance to Indigenous people, colonial buildings, shipwrecks, threatened species and communities
Issues include: erosion by wind/salt/storms limited understanding of what is significant declining connection between Indigenous
people and coastal places increasing numbers of invasive species loss of habitat competing priorities and limited funds
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Major issues – population growth & urban development
Australia’s coastal population has been growing faster than the population of the rest of the country for several years
Increasingly, coastal councils are concerned about the very rapid growth of small settlements outside large centres
The drivers for such growth include: attractions of beach and bush employment housing choices and affordability
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Population change in Australia, 2001-2010
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Change in estimated resident population of NSW ‘sea-change’ local government areas, 2001-2010
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics25
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Environmental controls on urban developments and the need for onsite containment of waste are of concern in coastal areas—challenging for resource-limited coastal councils
Effects on biodiversity can be direct and indirect
Other major impacts on coastal areas are tourism and recreation
Tackling pressures on coasts requires cooperation and strategic decision-making across several levels of government, but this has been slow
Solutions require addressing a range of social, economic and environmental issues
Major issues – population growth & urban development
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Governance of the coast
Much of the SOE report provide examples of promising responses to coastal challenges by governments
However, outcomes relating to several issues are not achieved
Uncertainty about how climate change will affect species and ecosystems
Local governments are concerned about the lack of guidelines, standards & national approaches to addressing:
coastal development population growth environmental impacts
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Governance of the coast
Managers of coastal areas are concerned that development of Australia’s coasts has been uncoordinated
This led coastal councils to form the National Sea Change Taskforce in 2004
The taskforce has actively developed and promoted solutions to state and Australian governments
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Governance of the coast
The report Managing our coastal zone in a changing climate: the time to act is now was handed down in 2009, making 47 recommendations addressing:
planning laws
capacities of local councils
monitoring of coastal habitats
legal liabilities
The recent Hawke review of the EPBC Act 1999 recommended changes allowing it to be applied more strategically, and at broad scales
Many recommendations accepted by the Australian Government, but too soon to gauge success
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Coastal natural environments
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Coastal natural environments
Resilience
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Coastal natural environments
Resilience
Future prospects
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Coastal natural environments
Resilience
Future prospects
SocietyEconomyCulture
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Coastal natural environments
Resilience
Future prospects
SocietyEconomyCulture
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Coastal natural environments
Resilience
Future prospects
SocietyEconomyCulture
People...living on...depending on...influencing
Coasts
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
The threat of rising sea levels due to climate change is one of the most important pressures on coastal communities
Sea level is rising globally, and the rate of rise increased from the 19th to the 20th century, and during the 20th century......
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Global mean sea level changes between 1860 and 2009, compared with the 1990 average sea level
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Rising sea levels will also result in greater wave action on the
shore, increasing erosion
The capacity for coastal habitats and species to migrate to
higher ground is limited by the extent of coastal plains and built
structures such as seawalls
Direct impacts on some cultural sites are also possible
A major determinant of the future of Australia’s coasts is how
extreme and rapid the effects of climate change will be
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Estimated number of existing residential buildings at risk of inundation from a 1.1-metre sea level rise
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments Emerging risks from climate change remain incompletely
addressed for Australia’s coasts. Indirect effects include:
decreased water availability and water security
inundation from sea level rise
damage to energy, water, communications and built
infrastructure
declines in agricultural and aquacultural productivity
damage to iconic natural ecosystems, e.g. Kakadu NP &
GBR
decline in biodiversity
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments Recent research concluded that in many parts of Australia
the ability to adapt to emerging pressures is low and declining
Recommended remedies include: allocating authority and resources between levels of
governance according to effectiveness at each level strengthening rules and incentives encouraging relocation allowing for uncertainties transferring public and private benefits, costs, risks,
uncertainties and responsibilities from governments to beneficiaries of development
viewing catastrophes as opportunities for learning and change
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Risks to and resilience of coastal communities and environments
Australia’s external territories are highly sensitive to sea level rise, with limited scope for adaptation
Resilience and adaptive capacity of Australian mainland coastal communities have more scope and resources to plan for and adapt to change
Capacity to adapt will only be realised if planning and action are effectively coordinated at national, state and local levels
Hopeful signs.....
........with cooperative initiatives being undertaken by coastal councils to address many deficiencies
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Outlook for coasts
Undesirable futures likely with ‘business
as usual’ approach:
Desirable futures most likely if major
reform of coastal governance is
achieved in the next decade or sooner:
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Other SoE 2011 content related to Coasts
Close links with most other chapters:
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Intentions and impacts of SoE 2011...
Based on available information and expert opinion drawn from sources that are referenced in the report
Was designed to raise awareness and assist decision-makers
Highlights current issues that will require management responses to influence projected trends
Provides critical information, but can support change only if decision-makers consider and use it
www.environment.gov.au/soePhoto: Aerial view of the Pilbara, by Andrew Griffiths, Lensaloft
For more information email: soe@environment.gov.au
To order copiesemail: ciu@environment.gov.au
phone: 1800 803 772 or read it online: www.environment.gov.au/soe
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