A Jabiru in the wetlands of Kakadu National Park, NT
A Jabiru in the wetlands of Kakadu National Park, NT Last year was a "bumper" one for Australia's environment on the back of significant rainfall, but climate change, habitat destruction and invasive species remain ongoing threats, according to the latest edition of Australia's Environment Report. Led by Professor Albert Van Dijk from The Australian National University (ANU), the annual report analyses vast amounts of satellite and field data to calculate 15 environmental indicators. They are summarised into score cards for all Australian regions. For 2022, the national score was 8.7 out of 10 - the highest since 2011 - due to improvements in water availability, vegetation growth and soil conditions. "Overall, it appears the nation's environmental conditions made a comeback in 2022," Professor Van Dijk said. While flooding claimed lives and destroyed homes in parts of the country in 2022, much of the flora and fauna that depend on the rains flourished. In particular, New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory achieved their highest state-level scores this century. "It was a great year for our wetlands, the best in decades.
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