Australia
Country overviewCountry
Environmental overview
A largely arid continent with highly variable rainfall, severe bushfire seasons and globally significant marine ecosystems.
- Issues
- 3
- Categories
- 3
- Sources
- 6
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Major issues
What is changing across the country.
OceansNatureClimate
Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.
- 01OceansSeverity: CriticalGreat Barrier ReefMarine heatwaves and coral bleaching on the Great Barrier ReefRepeated mass bleaching events driven by ocean warming are the greatest threat to the reef.3 causes · 4 impacts · 4 solutions · 3 sources
- 02NatureSeverity: HighGreat Barrier ReefWater quality and crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier ReefRunoff from farmland and outbreaks of coral-eating starfish add to the pressure from warming.3 causes · 3 impacts · 3 solutions · 2 sources
- 03ClimateSeverity: HighSydneyBushfire smoke and heat in SydneyThe 2019–20 Black Summer fires blanketed Sydney in smoke, and Western Sydney faces much hotter conditions than the coast.3 causes · 3 impacts · 3 solutions · 2 sources
Within Australia
Places to explore
- CitySydneyAustralia's largest city, framed by national parks and exposed to bushfire smoke, heatwaves and a pronounced heat gap between its coastal and western suburbs.
- RegionGreat Barrier ReefThe world's largest coral reef system, a UNESCO World Heritage Area repeatedly affected by marine heatwaves and mass coral bleaching.