The Australian State of the Environment 2011 Report presents a comprehensive review of the state and trends of the environment; the pressures on it and the drivers of those pressures; management initiatives in place to address environmental concerns and the impacts of those initiatives; its resilience and the unmitigated risks that threaten it; and provide an overall outlook for the Australian environment.
For the first time in national environmental reporting, SoE 2011 goes beyond a descriptive summary of evidence to include graded ‘report-card’ style assessments of environment condition and trends, pressures and management effectiveness. Also new to national State of the environment reporting in 2011 are discussions of the drivers of environmental change, resilience, risks, and future projections or ‘outlooks’.
The Bureau of Meteorology has published its first Australian Water Resources Assessment (2010). This report will assist all Australians, particularly policy-makers and planners, to understand the current state of the nation’s water resources and to assess the impact of past and present water management practices. The report has been produced as part of the Australian Government’s Improving Water Information Program.
The National Volunteering Strategy sets out the vision for volunteering, including supporting those who are currently volunteers and encouraging more Australians to participate in their communities through volunteering. The Strategy will set the direction for volunteering in Australia for the next ten years and will support organisations to adapt to changes in the ways that Australians want to volunteer.
The Australian Government has opened the first grant application round of the Biodiversity Fund, with applications closing 5pm AEDT Tuesday 31 January 2012. The Biodiversity Fund is a key element of the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Future Land Sector Package and supports land managers to store carbon, enhance biodiversity and build resilience across the Australian landscape.
The Australian Government has announced the open call for funding applications for grants to carry out projects that address the Caring for our Country 2012-13 Business Plan targets and can be completed by June 2013. Applications close 9 February 2012. Caring for our Country (CFOC) is an ongoing Australian Government initiative that seeks to achieve an environment that is healthier, better protected, well managed, resilient and provides essential ecosystem services in a changing climate.
During this busy period, Australians travel more, eat more, drink more and buy more than at any other time of the year. This also means we have a bigger impact on the environment now than at any other time of the year. There are lots of simple things you can do to have a fun and also green festive season. Some of them will also save you money! Check out Planet Ark’s The 12 Do’s of Christmas, a quick and handy guide to a green festive season – perfect for people on the run!
Urban Environment News wishes you and yours a happy and safe festive season and a great start to 2012 – many thanks for your support throughout 2011!
The CSIRO publication Water: Science and Solutions for Australia provides the latest information the status of Australia’s water resources and their future prospects, the many values we hold for water, and the potential for using water more effectively to meet the growing demands of cities, farmers, industries, and the environment. This is a free book available in two electronic formats: PDF which is optimised for reading on a computer screen, and as an eBook format which is optimised for use with mobile and specific eReader devices. Hard copies of the book can also be purchased.
Developed by the Alternative Technology Association (ATA), Tankulator is an online rain harvesting calculator that can help you plan for a new rainwater tank or improve the performance of an existing tank.
The South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP) is one of the most comprehensive marine, estuarine and freshwater monitoring programs in Australia. It delivers a regional assessment of the ambient ecosystem health for each of South East Queensland’s (SEQ) 19 major catchments, 18 river estuaries, and Moreton Bay, highlighting where the health of waterways is getting better or worse. The 2011 Ecosystem Health Report Card has been released providing insight into the health of South East Queensland’s waterways and Moreton Bay following the January 2011 flood.