Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Minister for Science and Minister for the Arts - The Honourable Leeanne Enoch
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The public can now find out important information about the state of the environment in the Queensland’s Far North with the click of a button.
Queensland’s latest State of Environment report, launched today, provides a comprehensive assessment of the state’s environmental performance over the past two years.
Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the report’s findings highlight the pressures on the local environment and the work the Palaszczuk Government is doing to combat them.
“A healthy environment is fundamental to our well-being and is essential for our communities, economy and way of life,” Ms Lui said.
“That is why evidence-based information from reports such as these are vital in guiding our management, programs and policies.
“Far North Queenslanders will now have access to the very latest information about their local environment via the online State of the Environment report.
Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch said there was evidence in the report that showed the Far North Queensland region was affected by increasing temperatures and climate change.
“Over the last 50-year period, annual mean temperatures in Far North Queensland have warmed by one degree Celsius,” Minister Enoch said.
“Far North Queenslanders experienced their hottest year during 2016 where the mean temperature was 1.5 degrees Celcius above the average.
“Scientists are telling us climate change is the number one danger to the Great Barrier Reef and we saw significant coral bleaching events occurring in the summers of 2016 and 2017 due to rising temperatures.
“Climate change is also impacting the outstanding universal value of the Wet Tropics of Queensland, as is invasive species and pathogens.
“That’s why we have set bold targets to reduce Queensland’s carbon pollution by 30 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030 and reach zero net emissions by 2050.”
Minister Enoch encouraged everyone who is interested in the state of their environment to jump online and view the report.
“The report’s user-friendly digital format makes it easy for Queenslanders to explore the state of Queensland’s environment,” Ms Enoch said.
“It takes people on a visual journey through the state’s environmental assets and also has the ability to provide a regional snapshot.”
The web-based report includes videos, almost 1900 interactive graphics and topic breakdowns to easily guide readers through the report.
To access the report, visit http://qld.gov.au/state-of-the-environment
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