Foreword 2024 report

I am pleased to present the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) State of the Environment report for 2024. Published every three years, this is the EPA’s 12^th such report.

This report provides a snapshot of the NSW environment as well as a picture of long-term environmental trends. This detail, alongside previous reports, will continue to inform our role as a steward in caring for and protecting the environment not only today but for generations to come.

I’m particularly proud of the EPA’s ongoing collaborative work with Aboriginal people, something that played a huge part in the preparation of this report. The contributed valuable knowledge and perspectives which worked in tandem with Western science to create a powerful and holistic approach to environmental stewardship and caring for Country.

The benefits of our environment are not infinite. We have aligned the nine planetary boundaries with our report indicators to help identify environmental limits within which we can sustainably live. We will continue to lead in this area by building on it in future reports.

So, what exactly does the NSW State of the Environment 2024 tell us?

• Climate change is already a major factor impacting many environmental trends. In 2021–22, greenhouse gas emissions in NSW were 111 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, which is 27% lower than the annual rate back in 2005.
• In NSW, sea level rose by 12cm between 1991 and 2021, and may rise by up to one metre by the end of the 21st century.
• Severe fire weather days and hot days (35°C or more) are projected to increase. Average temperatures across the State have already risen 1.4°C since 1910 and sea surface temperatures in the Sydney area have increased by about 0.14–0.2°C per decade since the 1950s.
• The extent of native vegetation cover has declined over the past three years. The ability of remaining habitats in NSW to support native plants, animals and ecosystems has dropped to 29% of their original capacity since pre-industrialisation.
• The number of threatened species listings in NSW has increased by 36 since December 2020. In 2024, more than 600 plant species and 300 animal species in NSW are threatened and risk extinction.
• NSW air quality meets national standards most of the time. In the past three years air quality has been negatively affected during extreme weather events, such as storms and bushfires.
• River condition remains poor or very poor for many areas of the Murray–Darling Basin. Coastal rivers are generally in better condition, particularly on the southern coasts.
• Most soils in NSW are in a moderate condition, although much of the State’s agricultural land is becoming slightly more acidic, with soil pH changing by at least 0.15 in 2006–20.
• Good rainfall in the past three years has helped improve water quality in some areas, but may also have been associated with significant fish kill events during that time.
• Coastal vegetation and habitats such as saltmarsh, mangroves and seagrass continue to be threatened by development and climate change.
• Invasive species continue to exert pressure on native plants and animals. New threats, such as fire ants, will continue to pose a significant biodiversity risk if not eradicated.

The report findings highlight the need to systemically improve our environmental management, with examples of positive recovery showcasing how we can make significant progress in the years ahead. I encourage you to read the report in full for a more detailed analysis of these trends.

Finally, a project of this scale and complexity represents a huge amount of work. I’d like to give a heartfelt vote of thanks to everyone who helped bring the report to life.

Tony Chappel
Chief Executive Officer
NSW Environment Protection Authority