Threatened species list grows despite improvement in state of environment, annual report finds

Australia's environmental condition has vastly improved following bushfires and drought. (Supplied: Grant Higgins)

Is Australia's environment really in a better condition now than it was after the most recent devastating bushfires and drought? 

According to Australia's Environment 2021 Report, when compared to 2020 — a time when parts of the nation were a combination of charcoal and dust — things are faring well.

From a score out of 10 the environmental condition jumped four points from the previous year, receiving a 6.9 in 2021.

Conservationists warn against complacency as the recovery of the Australian landscape has been mostly put down to high widespread rainfall and cooler temperatures.  

These conditions are likely to be short-lived with the Bureau of Meteorology expecting rainfall conditions to normalise with the peak of the La Nina being reached.

Soil moisture and protection from vegetation improved or remained stable nearly everywhere across Australia.  (Supplied: John Spencer)

The study led by the Australian National University shed light on some deeply troubling trends. 

Animals are the tell-all factor 

Ecologist Shoshana Rapley helped conduct the annual analysis using vast amounts of satellites and field stations to measure the state of the environment.

ANU researcher Shoshana Rapley says the snapshot sheds light on the decline of many aspects of Australia's ecology.  (Supplied: Shoshana Rapley)

It found that in 2021 the oceans were storing 6.5 per cent more heat year-on-year, and we experienced the sixth warmest year on record. 

Ms Rapley said one of the biggest concerns highlighted was the continual and rapid decline of animal and plant species, a major indicator of where things are at. 

In the last five years, 34 new species have become threatened including eight bird, four frog, and two fish species. 

No animals have been removed from the threatened species list. 

Koala populations in three states are considered endangered following extreme habitat loss during the Black Summer bushfires.  (ABC Riverina: Shannon Corvo)

Koalas are now considered endangered, along with the gang-gang cockatoo. 

The Nature Conservation Council said there remains a lack of political will to address the dire reality. 

"The government spends $50 million on improving koala habitat and $2 billion on diesel fuel subsidies," Mr Tremain said.

Australia's Environment Report is based on indicators showing relative change on average conditions from 2000 to 2020.  (Supplied: Australia's Environment 2021 Report)

Despite above-average rainfall and runoff across eastern Australia, waterbirds also continued to decline in numbers. 

Ms Rapley warned the reprieve from dry conditions may not actually benefit species. 

The national river inflows are up 75 per cent on 2020 levels.   (Supplied: Mal Carnegie )

She said the conditions would need to stick around for a lot longer for Australia's biodiversity at large to recover from an increasingly challenging climate. 

Not all bad news

Vegetation growth has been well above average, with improved conditions in all major cropping regions except for South Australia. 

The agriculture industry had a boom year with growth rates up about 20 per cent on average, but carbon emissions from the industry increased.  (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)

National river inflows were almost 30 per cent higher than the last two decades, but wetland flooding was still well below average. 

Tree cover has recovered after losses from bushfires in south-east Australia and along the coast of south-west WA. 

But Ms Rapley said that would simply provide more fuel for fire in coming seasons as drier conditions return. 

The snapshot, she hoped, would provide a catalyst for policy makers and the public to make meaningful change.