The NSW State of the Environment report (SoE) is the 12th triennial for the period between 2021 and 2024 but was only tabled in the NSW parliament on June 26th.
The SoE report clearly states, "Increases in population and economic activity are driving significant changes in the environment and human health."
Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) argues that the report presents us with a stark choice: either end our population growth and stabilise Australia's population size below 30 million, or accept the on-going decline in the NSW environment.
Comments attributate to SPA National President Peter Strachan:
"It is typical for our politicians to delay the release of these reports for as long as possible - and then bury them quickly thereafter — for they represent a litany of government failure."
"Some 'low lights' from the report include:
- Since December 2020, 36 species have been added to the list of threatened species.
- River conditions remain poor to very poor.
- Soils are in moderate condition but continue to acidify.
- Coastal vegetation and habits are particularly threatened by development and climate change."
"There were no surprises for us in this latest report. The NSW human population is continuing to grow and the NSW environment is maintaining its relentless downward spiral. The link between the two is clear and causal and it is about time we acknowledged this."
"It was most encouraging to see the state's population growth given prominence as the major drivers of our environment's decline. However, there are also disturbing elements in the report that suggest the critical need to address our population growth will be ignored."
"The report notes that NSW's population is projected to reach 10.1 million by 2041, a rise of almost two million. The reader is invited to assume this growth - which will guarantee much future harm - is inevitable. On the contrary, since almost all NSW's population growth is a product of economic migration, this source of environmental harm could be readily reduced by the Federal government reducing immigration volumes."
"The report also notes the following: 'The NSW Government implements policies and programs that aim to reduce the environmental impact of population growth.' (emphasis added) However, this doesn't reverse the damage but at best merely slows it. This is the policy practised by successive governments for decades and it is the primary reason why we have failed to end our environment's decline - and why we will continue to fail."
"The report further states, 'Planning for sustainable growth can help to alleviate these impacts.' Again, this is an invitation to accept a policy of managed decline. There is little in the report to suggest that on-going growth can be in any way sustainable."
