Yesterday, Tasmania’s new State of the Environment Report was published. The report provides a health check of Tasmania’s natural environment and how well it’s being managed. The report is deeply concerning with 27 out of the 29 indicators, used in the report to assess the health of the environment, categorised as either ‘getting worse’, ‘stable’ or ‘unknown’. 

Over half of these environmental indicators, which include threatened plants and animals, are showing a downward trend. Tasmania’s environment is facing a growing threat. Urgent intervention is needed which will require a complete shift in government decision-making. 

This report tells a story of long-term neglect in Tasmania, not just of the environment but also for monitoring, reporting and investment in sustainable industries, technologies and jobs. Tasmania is moving in the wrong direction; there needs to be greater investment in building a resilient, innovative, sustainable future for the state.

Tasmanians rely on a healthy, flourishing environment. If the state government is serious about preserving the Tasmanian way of life it must react appropriately to the findings of this report and adequately invest in the report’s recommendations. 

“These downward trends are alarming and the government’s response to this report will be critical. Clearly, its current investment in environmental protection, monitoring and reporting is inadequate and a step change is urgently required,” said James Overington, executive officer, Environment Tasmania. 

"How can Tasmania claim to be a world leader in clean energy generation when its net emissions, per person, lags behind nearly 90% of industrialised economies - as outlined in the report? We need a multi-sector, collaborative approach to effectively tackle our emissions in Tasmania. The current top-down, siloed decision-making process is harmful to the environment and communities,” said Dr Emily Samuels-Ballantyne, Energy and Climate Campaigner, Environment Tasmania.

“The report paints a bleak picture of Tasmania’s threatened marine ecosystems, with current laws failing to protect species that are most vulnerable to extinction. As outlined by the report the Maugean skate faces “serious, imminent extinction risks”, the Federal Environment Minister must respect the findings from this report and remove salmon farming from the skate’s last remaining refuge,” said James Watts, Save the Skate Campaigner, Environment Tasmania.