The Environmental Issues of Australia
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Resource Issues
Pollution
Conservation
Sustainable Development
- Low soil fertility (due to salinity of water from deforestation)
- Water shortages
- Vulnerable native plant and animal species (Click here to watch video about saving the Koala habitat)
- overfishing including species of tuna and orange roughy
- Tropical forests threatened by timber industry
- Introduction of exotic species that are invasive including rabbits, willows and red fire ants
Pollution
- On a per capita basis, Australia leads the world in production of greenhouse gases
- Great Barrier Reef overused by tourists, divers and water traffic increased due to industrial shipping
- Agriculture products including phosphorus and nitrogen are entering the ocean
Conservation
- Establishment of natural reserves included Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- Management of Murray-Darling River Basin to reduce salinity from agricultural use
- Environmental agencies work to coordinate tourism with conservation efforts
- Cooperates with South Pacific Islands to conserve marine environments
Sustainable Development
- One major goal of environmental agencies is sustainable development of environmental resources
- The Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act was passed in Australia in 1999 which includes a report on environmental matters in annual Commonwealth government reports