Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts

Saturday, 18 January 2025

CLIMATE CHANGE 2025: There is no longer any room left in Australia's national discourse for self-indulgent disbelief, denial or scepticism when it come to anthropogenic global warming



Australia, both as an ancient island continent and a society predicated on a federation of states in a representative democracy, entered 2025 with the following two hundred & fifty-eight year climatic background which every single person needs to seriously consider as they navigate this federal election year and what remains of this decade.


Because the decisions made now will affect if or how our own communities, friendship groups and families will cope — because the Australian and global overarching climate and seasonal weather patterns that we grew & prospered under down the generations are quickly disappearing never to return for millennia.


State of the Climate 2024: Report at a glance, excerpts:


Key points


Australia


> Australia's climate has warmed since national records began in 1910.


> The oceans surrounding Australia have also warmed. Chart of the temperature anomaly relative to the 1961 to 1990 average, in degrees Celsius, from 1910 to 2023, for temperatures over Australia and for sea surface temperatures in the Australian region.


> Australia’s climate has warmed by an average of 1.51 ±0.23 °C since national records began in 1910.


> Sea surface temperatures have increased by an average of 1.08 °C since 1900.


> The warming has led to an increase in the frequency of extreme heat events over land and in the oceans.


> In the south-west of Australia there has been a decrease of around 16% in April to October rainfall since 1970. Across the same region, May to July rainfall has seen the largest reduction, by around 20% since 1970.


> In the south-east of Australia, there has been a decrease of around 9% in April to October rainfall since 1994.


> Heavy short-term rainfall events are becoming more intense.


> There has been a decrease in streamflow at most gauges across Australia since 1970.


> There has been an increase in rainfall and streamflow across parts of northern Australia since the 1970s.


> There has been an increase in extreme fire weather, and a longer fire season, across large parts of the country since the 1950s.


> There has been a decrease in the number of tropical cyclones observed in the Australian region since at least 1982.


> Snow depth, snow cover and number of snow days have decreased in alpine regions since the late 1950s.


> Oceans around Australia are becoming more acidic, with changes happening faster in recent decades.


> Sea levels are rising around Australia, including more frequent extreme high levels that increase the risk of inundation and damage to coastal infrastructure and communities.

Anomalies (departures from the mean for the 1961–1990 standard averaging period) in annual mean sea surface temperature, and temperature over land, in the Australian region. Sea surface temperature values (data source: ERSST v5, psl.noaa.gov) are provided for a region around Australia (4–46°S and 94–174°E).


Global


> Concentrations of all major long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continue to increase. Global annual mean carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations reached 419.2 parts per million (ppm) in 2023 and the CO2 equivalent (CO2-e) of all greenhouse gases reached 524 ppm. These are the highest levels on Earth in at least 2 million years.


> Global fossil fuel CO2 emissions, the principal driver of the growth in CO2 concentrations, are continuing to increase. Overall anthropogenic CO2 emissions, including fossil fuel and land-use change emissions, have levelled off over the last decade after increasing for more than a century prior to the 2010s.


> In 2022 and 2023, the amounts of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), both greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere increased rapidly.


> Globally averaged air temperature at the Earth’s surface has warmed by about 1.2 °C since reliable records began in 1850. Each decade since 1980 has been warmer than the last, with 2011–2020 being around 0.2 °C warmer than 2001–2010. 2023 was the warmest year on record globally.


> The world’s oceans, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, have taken up more than 90% of the extra energy stored by the planet (as heat) arising from enhanced greenhouse gas concentrations.


> The ice sheets and ice shelves of Antarctica and Greenland are losing ice due to a warmer climate, and contributing to global sea level rise.


> There has been an abrupt decrease in Antarctic sea-ice extent since 2015, after a small increase over the period from 1979 to 2014.


> Around half of all CO2 emissions from human activities are absorbed by land and ocean sinks, which act to slow the rate of increase in atmospheric CO2.


> Global mean sea levels have risen by over 22 cm since 1900; half of this has occurred since 1970.



Future


In the coming decades, Australia will experience ongoing changes to its weather and climate. The changes are projected to include:


> Continued increase in air temperatures, with more heat extremes and fewer cold extremes.


> Continued decrease, on average, in cool season rainfall across many regions of southern and eastern Australia, which will likely lead to more time in drought.


> More intense short-duration heavy rainfall events even in regions where the average rainfall decreases or stays the same.


> Continued increase in the number of dangerous fire weather days and a longer fire season for much of southern and eastern Australia.


> Further sea level rise and continued warming and acidification of the oceans around Australia.


> Increased and longer-lasting marine heatwaves that will affect marine environments such as kelp forests and increase the likelihood of more frequent and severe bleaching events in coral reefs around Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef.


> Fewer tropical cyclones, but with higher intensity on average, and greater impacts when they occur through higher rain rates and higher sea level.


> Reduced average snow depth in alpine regions, but with variations from year to year.


Changes in weather systems and climate influences


Australia’s weather systems are changing. Southern Australia receives much of its rainfall during the cooler months of the year from low-pressure systems and cold fronts to the south of the subtropical high-pressure ridge. During recent decades, these systems have become less common over southern Australia, and are less likely to produce rainfall when they do occur, contributing to declines in cool season rainfall. Mean sea level atmospheric pressure is increasing over Australia, and there has been an increase in the number of high-pressure systems over southern Australia, which bring dry, clear weather and little rainfall. This increase in atmospheric pressure across southern latitudes is a response to climate change.


There is large variability in the frequency of individual weather systems between individual months and years. Many of these trends are consistent with simulations from climate models, which demonstrate that increased greenhouse gas levels lead to fewer low-pressure systems in southern Australia and a stronger subtropical ridge, but an increase in the intensity of heavy rainfall, including from thunderstorms.


Australia’s climate is also influenced from year to year by various broadscale climate influences, such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). SAM shows a sustained trend towards more positive conditions from 1950 to the present day, particularly in summer.


The level of ENSO activity over the past 50 years is higher, with more significant El Niño and La Niña events than in the years between 1920 and 1970. However, there is no clear indication that recent activity levels are outside the long-term range of variability, with evidence of high levels of ENSO activity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is low confidence in the long-term trends in the IOD, particularly prior to the 1960s, although paleoclimate data indicate that the recent frequency of strong positive IOD events is high in the context of multi-century variability.


The full report can be read & downloaded as a pdf at

http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/


Friday, 3 January 2025

The first & only all species wildlife hospital in NSW, Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, is in urgent need of ongoing funding to keep its doors open 7 days a week

 

The staff at Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital doing their thing. Image supplied 
IMAGE: The Echo, December 2023






Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital provides professional veterinary services for injured, diseased, orphaned and displaced native Australian animals. Its services are provided free of charge, 7 days a week, and available to wildlife rescue groups and members of the public.


Although receiving calls from all Australian states & mainland territories, the majority of phone calls made directly to the Wildlife Rescue 24 hour national call centre operated by Wildlife Recovery Australia, the parent organisation of Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, came from members of the public seeking assistance within QueenslandNew South Wales & Victoria in 2024.


These calls for information and assistance were made on behalf of a wide range of Australian native animals in distress, ranging from sea birds, marine mammals & sea turtles through to land birds, koalas, gliders, bandicoots, possums, echidnas, wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, goannas & other lizards, snakes, frogs & small native mice.


ECHO, 1 January 2025:


As Australia’s bushfire season approaches, the only all-species wildlife hospital between Sydney and the Gold Coast has been forced to reduce its opening hours over Christmas/NY as surging patient numbers take their toll on the humans who provide the vital veterinary service free of charge, seven days a week.


Combined with no government funding to operate, an uncertain economic climate, donor fatigue and a chronic veterinary sector workforce shortage, the relentless demand for wildlife care has forced us to reduce our opening hours to protect the mental and physical health of our veterinary staff and volunteers,’ said Dr Ken Henry AC, Chair of Wildlife Recovery Australia, the parent organisation of Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital.


It’s unsustainable that governments continue to rely on wildlife hospitals like ours to treat the native animals under their legal protection, with no recompense. Recurrent government funding would reduce the mental and physical stress on our people by allowing us to train more people to share the load.’.....


Read the full article at


https://www.echo.net.au/2025/01/wildlife-hospital-vets-struggling-as-summer-patients-surge/


Thursday, 21 November 2024

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism's annual report reveals that in Australia TV and print news consumption continue to decline, while online and social media are becoming more significant. In line with this trend, Australians are increasingly accessing news across digital devices.

 

How Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism annual Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024 sees Australia, based in large part on a YouGov survey using an online questionnaire at the end of January beginning of February 2024.


Click on these four images to enlarge









AUSTRALIA

Population 26m

Internet penetration 90%


The past year has been marked by persistent inflation, a rising cost of living, and severe flooding in many parts of Australia. Late in 2023, following a divisive campaign laden with misinformation, Australians voted against an amendment to the constitution to establish an Australian Indigenous Voice to Parliament.


It is a critical time when audiences are in need of quality news yet the news ecosystem continues to shrink. Australia now has 29 local government areas with no local news publishers, TV, or radio servicing the local community. Print media have been hit hard due to the decline in advertising revenue and rising print costs. Government departments are cutting back print advertising and instead rolling out campaigns on social media. In 2023, the Victorian government announced they would cease all metropolitan print newspaper advertising. For regional news outlets the reduction in government advertising spend is worrying and they are lobbying for a more consistent policy. Currently the local, state, and federal governments spend about 1% of their advertising budget on regional news.


Streaming services continue to grow, and their weekly reach (58%) has surpassed that of free-to-air TV (54%). However, the cost-of-living crisis has been forcing audiences to cut back on their digital subscriptions. One in three subscribers say they have reduced their subscriptions. The major streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Paramount+, and Binge have reduced their spending on local content by 11% (A$46m). The government has promised to introduce a quota system for streaming services in 2024. The media industry is advocating for a 20% local content quota while streaming platforms are lobbying for 2%.


In March 2024, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, shocked the sector by declaring they were pulling back from news, closing their Australian news partnerships team, and not entering new commercial deals with news organisations. Their current deals with major companies are reported to be worth A$70m annually. This follows the Australian government’s introduction of the News Media Bargaining Code in 2021. Under the Code, Google and Meta are together paying news publishers roughly A$200m a year on voluntary content agreements. This has helped sustain the news industry, but most agreements expire this year. There are now calls to ‘designate’ Meta under the Code, which would force the company to negotiate with publishers or face fines of 10% of its annual Australian revenue. Google and Meta’s combined advertising revenue in Australia was A$8.3bn in 2023. This is more than half of all digital ad revenues (A$14.2bn).


In late 2023, Communications Minister In late 2023, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced A$10.5m in funding through the News Media Assistance Program to promote a diverse and sustainable media sector. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has received the funding to implement the Media Diversity Measurement Framework, which was developed through a public consultation.


Public broadcaster ABC continued its transition into a digital-first media organisation in 2023, announcing a series of proposals to further shift investment into digital services. The ABC Five-Year Plan (2023-2028) forecasts that by 2028 most of its audience engagement will come through its digital services. Newly appointed Chair, Kim Williams, said his priorities included securing better funding for the ABC and upholding its Charter responsibilities, including the requirement for impartiality.


Misinformation was abundant during the divisive Voice referendum campaignwhere Australians voted to reject a proposal to set up a formal body for Indigenous people to give advice on laws. There were widespread claims that the plan might lead to tax increases or that the Australian Electoral Commission would tamper with votes, revealing a deep distrust with the government.

The ‘no’ campaign’s main strategy was to instil fear and doubt, suggesting that the proposal didn’t carry enough details. Seven in ten Australians subsequently expressed concern about the lies and misinformation on social media during the campaign.


The media landscape is undergoing a significant shift as AI increasingly permeates newsrooms, prompting traditional outlets to reconsider their approach to the technology as the industry grapples with how to use it effectively and safely. News Corp Australia is producing 3,000 articles a week using artificial intelligence. The rise of AI use has led to widespread public concern. According to a report from media monitoring organisation Streem,117 over half (57%) believe AI creates more problems than it solves. These concerns indicate a need for policy frameworks that balance the benefits of AI with the public interest.


Sora Park

News and Media Research Centre, University

of Canberra [my yellow highlighting throughout this post]


NOTE:

Excerpt from Biography at https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/en/persons/sora-park


Dr Sora Park is Professor of Communication and Professorial Research Fellow at the News & Media Research Centre, Faculty of Arts & Design, University of Canberra. She is internationally recognised as an expert in digital media users and media policy, with a special focus on news consumers and digital inclusion.


Full Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024 at

https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-06/RISJ_DNR_2024_Digital_v10%20lr.pdf


Wednesday, 6 November 2024

It's 2024 and after 236 years of relentless urban expansion across New South Wales there are only 13 breeding pairs of Beach Stone Curlew left in the state


ECHO, 5 November 2024:


A pair of critically endangered beach stone-curlews are nesting in the dunes on Clarkes Beach, they are one of only 13 breeding pairs in NSW.


Beachgoers are asked to stay off the sand dunes and leave nesting birds alone as their nests are just a small area of scraped sand.



It’s so important these birds are not disturbed because they only lay one egg and the chick is cared for by both parents for seven to 12 months,’ said Chloe Dowsett, Coast and Biodiversity Coordinator.


We are hoping people will do the right thing and play their part in helping these special birds expand their family.’


On other beaches spotted pardalotes and rainbow bee-eaters have been sighted nesting in the dunes with the Byron Bird Buddies rescuing a group of baby bee-eaters as the area surrounding their nest was being damaged by people trampling and climbing on the exposed dune.


All of these precious birds are easily disturbed by walkers, joggers and especially dogs so we are asking people to be aware and take extra care when they are on the beach,’ Ms Dowsett said.


Friday, 1 November 2024

CLIMATE CHANGE STATE OF PLAY 2024: we have entered a grim millennia of climate consequences

 

According to the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO biennial report, State of the Climate 2024.......


Australia, on average, has warmed by 1.51°C ± 0.23°C since national air temperature records over the land mass of the continent began in 1910. While sea surface temperatures have increased by an average of 1.08°C since 1900.


Australia is not so slowly and very noticeably cooking.


There has been an increase in extreme heat events associated with the warming over land and in the oceans.

Australia’s warmest year on record was 2019, and 8 of the 9 warmest years on record have occurred since 2013.


This is what Australia's collective experience looks like expressed as a graph




State of the Climate 2024, 22 October 2024, p.2


Every decade since 1950 has been warmer than preceding decades. The warming in Australia is consistent with global trends, with the degree of warming similar to the overall average across the world’s land areas.


There has been an increase in extreme fire weather, and a longer fire season, across large parts of Australia since the 1950s. This has resulted in catastrophic bushfires in 1967, 1974-75, 1983, 2006-07, 2009 and 2019-20. Wildfires burning across millions of hectares, changing landscapes and communities, driving many native plant and animal species closer to extinction.


The track record with regard to rainfall has shown that:


Sustained heavy rainfall and associated flooding in much of Australia, particularly the east, is most common during La Niña, as illustrated by the multiple floods that occurred in eastern Australia in 2022. The 11 wettest years on record in eastern Australia were all influenced by La Niña, and many of eastern Australia’s most significant flood years, such as 1974, 2010−2011 and 2021–2022, have occurred during strong La Niña events, although significant flooding can sometimes occur in non-La Niña years.


Global concentrations of all major long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continue to increase. Global annual mean carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations reached 419.2 parts per million (ppm) in 2023 and the CO2 equivalent (CO2-e) of all greenhouse gases reached 524 ppm. These are the highest levels on Earth in at least 2 million years.


While global fossil fuel CO2 emissions, the principal driver of the growth in CO

concentrations, are continuing to increase.


In Australia the latest Quarterly Update of Australia’s NationalGreenhouse Gas Inventory: March 2024 shows emissions were 440.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-e) in the year to March 2024. On a quarterly basis, this means that national emission levels for the March quarter 2024 increased 0.6% (0.6 Mt CO2-e) in trend terms.

National emissions are preliminarily estimated to be 441 Mt CO2-e in the year to June 2024.

Actual and trend greenhouse gas emissions have not meaningfully decreased in the last four years according to data collated by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.


These inescapable global & national facts mean that Australia's future now holds these scenarios:


Future


In the coming decades, Australia will experience ongoing changes to its weather and climate. The changes are projected to include:


Continued increase in air temperatures, with more heat extremes and fewer cold extremes.


Continued decrease, on average, in cool season rainfall across many regions of southern and eastern Australia, which will likely lead to more time in drought.


More intense short-duration heavy rainfall events even in regions where the average rainfall decreases or stays the same.


Continued increase in the number of dangerous fire weather days and a longer fire season for much of southern and eastern Australia.


Further sea level rise and continued warming and acidification of the oceans around Australia.


Increased and longer-lasting marine heatwaves that will affect marine environments such as kelp forests and increase the likelihood of more frequent and severe bleaching events in coral reefs around Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef.


Fewer tropical cyclones, but with higher intensity on average, and greater impacts when they occur

through higher rain rates and higher sea level.


Reduced average snow depth in alpine regions, but with variations from year to year.


Here in coastal north-east New South Wales the response to our changing climate by successive federal and state governments is: (i) to crowd more urban development onto land that is projected to be amongst the first dry land to experience tidal and/or permanent sea water inundation due to rising sea levels; and (ii) to coat building materials in heat reflecting paint while ignoring the fact that building design is now inadequate due to the fact that the north-east can now expect tropical hurricanes to form offshore on a 1 in 10 year basis.


Saturday, 26 October 2024

Tweet of the Week



Friday, 18 October 2024

Seven weeks out from the beginning of the Australian Summer meteorologists were predicting "unusually high temperatures from December through to February

 

This is an ABC News article extract on 11 October 2024:







Australia is facing one of the hottest summers on record according to the Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) weather modelling, which tips well-above-average temperatures across the country.


The forecast for a scorching summer is largely due to ongoing high ocean temperatures surrounding Australia, a persistent feature that has plagued most of the globe since early last year.


The warm seas will not only raise air temperatures but also boost atmospheric moisture levels, swinging the odds to favour frequent storm outbreaks and above-average rain.


Our simmering oceans could also lead to the most active cyclone season in years, with the BOM expecting around 11 named storms in the Australian region, including an increased risk of severe (category three or above) systems.


Of the past six years, the three that were not La Niña periods took the top three spots as Australia's hottest summers on record, all with mean temperatures more than 1.6 degrees Celsius above the long-term average.


This trend suggests this summer will also produce well-above-average temperatures — a prediction supported by seasonal modelling.


The BOM's initial summer forecast, released this week, shows a greater than 80 per cent chance of minimum temperatures in the top 20 per cent of years — which the BOM label "unusually high temperatures"....







So how do conditions look now in Spring 2024?


Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM):


Weekly sea surface temperatures


PACIFC OCEAN SEA SURFACE HEAT MAP







Weekly temperature anomalies in the tropical Pacific


For the week ending 13 October 2024, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were:


  • 0.8–2 °C warmer than the 1991–2020 average in the far western and parts of the far eastern equatorial Pacific

  • 0.8–2 °C cooler than average in the central equatorial Pacific

  • warmer than average across much of the north Pacific, with much of the region surrounding and to the east of Japan more than 3–4 °C warmer than average

  • 0.8–2 °C warmer than average around the north-west of Australia's coastline and parts of the Tasman and Coral seas

  • 0.4–1.2 °C warmer than average across most of the Maritime Continent.


The Niño indices for the week ending 13 October 2024 are:

Niño3, −0.1 °C; Niño3.4, −0.5 °C; and Niño4, +0.04 °C. The Niño3.4 index reflects historically neutral ENSO conditions.


5-day sub-surface temperatures


For the 5 days ending 13 October 2024, the analysis shows:


  • sub-surface temperatures around 1 °C cooler than average in the central equatorial Pacific (between 125 m and 200 m depth) and in the eastern equatorial Pacific (between 50 m and 100 m depth).

  • sub-surface temperature anomalies more than 3 °C warmer than average in the shallow eastern equatorial sub-surface (above 50 m depth).


Long-range forecast overview

Issued: 10 October 2024


The long-range forecast for November to January shows:


  • Above average rainfall is likely across much of southern and eastern Australia.

  • Warmer than average days and nights are likely to very likely across most of Australia.

  • Unusually high minimum temperatures are very likely for much of northern and eastern Australia.


Our forecasts have greater accuracy closer to the forecast period. Refer to our weekly updates to follow the evolution of rainfall and temperature patterns as the November to January season approaches.


New South Wales forecast air temperature over land


Max temperature - The chance of above median max temperature for 20 Oct – 2 Nov








Wednesday, 16 October 2024

COVID-19 STATE OF PLAY AUSTRALIA 2024: "the mortality experience" in an epoch of obfuscation

 

ACTUARIES INSTITUTE, Mortality Working Group, 12 September 2024:


Mortality in First Five Months of 2024 Was Slightly Higher than Prediction


In summary:


  • Total mortality was 1% higher than the new baseline for the first five months of 2024.

  • The mortality experience of 2024 includes higher COVID-19 mortality than predicted from March to May.

  • Mortality from the COVID-19 wave that started in April 2024 rose more sharply than predicted and by May had reached a higher level than anticipated.

  • For 2024, the Working Group measures mortality relative to 2023, allowing for some mortality improvement and an estimate of COVID-19 mortality (see April 2024 and June 2024 blogs).


Table 1 – Excess deaths in Australia (versus 2023-based expectation) – by cause of death for January to May 2024



COVID-19 was a much more significant cause of mortality in the first five months of 2024 than influenza (1,610 doctor-certified deaths for COVID-19 versus 144 for influenza).


The last Australian Respiratory Surveillance Report indicated that between 1 January and 22 September 2024 there were a total of 237,001 confirmed COVID-19 infections officially recorded in Australia, with 44 per cent of all cases being with New South Wales.


According to NSW Health from 1 January to 5 October 2024 there were 108,777 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, with by far the highest concentration found in Western Sydney at 20,305 confirmed infections (or 19% of all officially recorded cases across NSW).


In relation to COVID-19 deaths, all state and federal departments and agencies have perfected the art of fudging the data by making it difficult to compare across agencies/sources.


However, Australia-wide from 1 January to 31 August 2024 there were 2,943 doctor certified deaths due to COVID-19 respiratory infection [ABS 30.09.24]


The cohort group with the highest mortality numbers appears to be aged care residents, with recorded deaths due to COVID-19 reaching 7,019 individuals between 1 January to 10 October 2024 [Australian Govt. DoH, 11.10.24]


In New South Wales according to ABC News (14.10.24) NSW Ministry of Health data released under freedom of information laws showed 1,729 hospital inpatients catching COVID-19 and 86 dying between January and April this year.


Tuesday, 10 September 2024

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND 2024: AUSTRALIA SCORES THREE Fs ON THREATENED SPECIES REPORT CARD


World Wildlife Fund - Australia


THE 2024 THREATENED SPECIES REPORT CARD

4 September 2024

*SELECTIVE EXCERPTS*


In September 2022, WWF-Australia launched its first Threatened Species Report Card, which provided a simple but scientifically robust way to track and communicate Australia’s progress in recovering our threatened species.


The methods behind the report card were developed in collaboration with conservation scientists from the University of Queensland. After the 2022 launch, the methods were improved through a peer review process, and published as a scientific paper in an international journal (Wardet al. 2024).


We have now refreshed the report card grades with 2024 data and have compared them with the 2022 results outlined in the scientific paper.


WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE OUR 2022 REPORT CARD?*


163 species have been newly listed as threatened


40 species have had their threatened status upgraded, e.g., from Vulnerable to Endangered


3 species have had a genuine improvement in their threat status, because the rate of their decline has slowed or stopped. These are:

o The Red Knot (Calidris canutus) which moved from Endangered to Vulnerable

o The Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), which moved from Critically Endangered to Vulnerable

o The Northern Siberian Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica menzbieri), which moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered

 

There have been no new extinction listings since our 2022 Report Card. However, 15 species have been listed as extinct or extinct in the wild in the last 10 years.


*Includes listing changes between 8 March 2022 and 30 June 2024.


GRADING


We calculated a score between 0 and 1 for each indicator, where 1 is the ideal scenario. We then assigned grades using equal intervals, where:


an A grade is greater than 0.83,

a B grade is 0.67 to 0.82,

a C grade is 0.5 to 0.66,

a D grade is 0.33 to 0.49,

an E grade is from 0.17 to 0.32, and

an F grade is less than 0.16.







As the reader will observe, in this report Australia received a shockingly bad overall assessment:


Funding - FAIL/F Grade

Recovery Plans - FAIL/ F Grade

Protection - LOW PASS/ C Grade

Threat Status Improvement - FAIL/ F Grade

Persistence - SECOND CLASS PASS/ B Grade


Full WWF The 2024 Threatened Species Report Card (released September 2024) can be read & downloaded at:

https://assets.wwf.org.au/image/upload/f_pdf/file_Threatened_Species_Report_Card_Technical_Report_2024