Environment of Australia

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The Australian environment ranges from virtually pristine Antarctic territory, rainforests to degraded industrial areas of major cities.

[edit] Issues

Major environmental issues in Australia include Whaling, logging of Old growth forest, Irrigation and its impact on the Murray River, Darling River and Macquarie Marshes, Acid sulphate soils, Soil salininty, Land clearing, Soil erosion, Uranium mining and Nuclear waste, creation of Marine reserves [1], Air quality in major cities and around polluting industries and infrastructure, Pesticide and Herbicide impacts and growing of Genetically modified food.

Increased Coal Mining in Australia is contentious because of the Effects of global warming on Australia, emissions to air from coal burning power stations, dust, subsidence, impact on rivers like the Hunter River and other water users, failure to adequately restore mined areas, and lack of sustainability.

Climate change and Global warming are of particular concern because of the likely effects of global warming on agriculture, the Great Barrier Reef and tourism industry, Human health through mosquito borne disease [2]. Sea level rise could also have a profound impact on coastal communities and waterfront suburbs. The range of rises forecast by the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report would be sufficient to have impacts in many areas, and the impact if the Greenland ice cap melts faster than forecast could be disastrous.

In urban areas Noise and Odour are major sources of complaints to environmental protection authorities.

[edit] World Heritage Listed Areas

Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh/Naracoorte)
Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves
Fraser Island
Great Barrier Reef
Greater Blue Mountains Area
Heard and McDonald Islands
Lord Howe Island
Macquarie Island
Purnululu National Park
Shark Bay
Wet Tropics of Queensland

Source: UNESCO

[edit] National Heritage Listed Areas

[edit] State Heritage Listed Areas

[edit] National Parks

See: Protected areas of Australia

[edit] State Parks

[edit] Marine Reserves

[edit] Land

[edit] Water

Australia is the second driest continent (after Antarctica), and frequent droughts have led to the introduction of water restrictions in all parts of Australia.