Read it here: soe.dcceew.gov.au
The 2021 State of the Environment report (SoE 2021) provides an independent, comprehensive and evidence-based assessment of the state of Australia’s environment.
SoE 2021 is co-authored by some of Australia’s most respected environmental scientists and experts, and led by a diverse group of co-chief authors who bring their own expertise and perspectives to the report:
- Dr Terri Janke, a Wuthathi/Meriam woman and an international authority on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property
- Professor Emma Johnston, a leading authority in marine ecology
- Dr Ian Cresswell, an expert in biodiversity and landscape management science.
SoE 2021 covers the current state, pressures, impacts, management, and outlook for 12 environmental themes: Air quality, Antarctica, Biodiversity, Climate, Coasts, Extreme events, Heritage, Indigenous, Inland water, Land, Marine and Urban.
For the first time since national SoE reporting began, an Indigenous co-authorship model was used to ensure Indigenous knowledge, values and perspectives are incorporated in the assessment of the environment and used to inform decision making for better environmental outcomes.
It highlights the importance that traditional knowledge has played in caring for Country in Australia for tens of thousands of years and will continue to play in the future.
The department engaged specialist Indigenous engagement experts to share and validate Indigenous author research and findings, and to gather Indigenous-user needs to inform the development of the report and support the development of case studies.
SoE 2021 was also developed with the assistance of non-government representatives, who form a User Reference Group. This ensures it meets the needs of those who will use it most in their decision making.