The NSW community is embracing recycling and cleaner energy technologies but the legacy of drought, bushfires and climate change has left a mark on our environment says the latest State of the Environment report.
The environmental snapshot found greenhouse gas emissions are dropping, our valuable national parks are increasing and the management of waste is improving.
NSW is also being impacted by the global challenge of climate change, with temperatures 1.1 degrees higher than last century.
NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Acting Chief Executive Officer Jacqueleine Moore said keeping track of the changing data had never been more important.
"The latest instalment of this three-yearly report captures the impact of the devastating 2019-20 bushfires and the drought which damaged our native animal numbers, water quality and air quality, and topsoil.
"The State of the Environment covers 22 topics with data sourced from 11 different government bodies. It helps policy makers inform the right programs to target current and future environmental challenges.
"And for the first time we have introduced input from traditional knowledge holders to ensure a First Nations perspective is captured in the latest report."
In good news the energy sector is being transformed, with the share of wind and solar in the electricity mix more than doubling over the past five years.
Greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 were 17% lower than in 2005. Emissions are projected to continue dropping over the next decade.
The EPA is proud to report the community has less litterbugs with a drop in littering of 43% over the past six years and 64% of waste was diverted for recycling in 2019-20.
The majority of monitored recreational swimming spots boast good water quality. Our beaches are pristine with 98% reported with good or very good water quality.
Future challenges include addressing the impacts of Sydney's growing population on waste generation, water usage, traffic and natural resources.
Other significant issues highlighted in the report include the health of river systems, land clearing and threats to native animal populations.
"Everyone in the community plays a role in protecting the environment and the EPA will continue to perform its important role as the environmental regulator in NSW," Ms Moore said.
The State of the Environment report is produced by the NSW EPA, working with other government agencies and independent experts.
The State of the Environment can be found on the EPA website at https://www.soe.epa.nsw.gov.au
