We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the sovereign Traditional Owners of Australia and thank them for their stewardship of this Country, its lands, waters and skies. We respectfully acknowledge their culture and customary practices, and pay respect to their Ancestors, Elders and future leaders.

For the first time, the State of the Environment report includes a strong Indigenous narrative across all 12 thematic chapters, a narrative crafted through recognising the leadership, collaboration and authorship of Indigenous Australians who continue their connection as Traditional Owners to their lands, waters and skies.

Click to view the State of the Environment report

On 28 March 2025 the government assumed a Caretaker role. Information on websites maintained by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will be published in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions until after the conclusion of the caretaker period.

Due to technical issues, graphs, maps and tables are currently not displaying within the main content, however, are available via the chapter resources navigation bar. We are working on a solution to resolve the issue.

Graphs, maps and tables

Showing results 51 - 60 of 63

Figure 51 Clockwise from top left: AIRBOX deployed on Garden Island, Western Australia; AIRBOX on board the RSV Aurora Australis next to the tower and weather radar ‘ball’; AIRBOX on top of the RSV Aurora Australis at Newcomb Bay, Casey Station, Antarctica

Photos: Robyn Schofield and Alan Griffiths

For more information, go toResearch and new technologies

Figure 52 PMreadings from the Latrobe Valley network of sensors, 10:00 am, 11 December 2020

hrs = hours; µg/m³= microgram per cubic metre; PM2.5 = fine particulate matter; PM10 = coarse particulate matter

Source: Latrobe Valley Information Network and Attentis

For more information, go toResearch and new technologies

Figure 53 Schools Weather and Air Quality data portal, showing the Air Quality Index measured at 7 schools in the Sydney region, 11 December 2020

Source: Schools Weather and Air Quality

For more information, go toResearch and new technologies

Figure 54 Two smoke observation gadgets deployed in regional Victoria, showing the red ‘on’ light and the green lights indicating low particle concentrations at the time of the photograph

Photo: Jacinta Cooper

For more information, go toResearch and new technologies

Table 1 Timeline of major air quality events in Australia, 2016–20

Year	Month	Jurisdiction	Air quality event	Pollutant involved
2016	January	Tas	Bushfires in north-west Tasmania burn 91,983 ha^a,b	Smoke
2016	January	WA	Bushfire at Yarloop burns 67,871 ha^a,b	Smoke
2016	November	Vic	Thunderstorm asthma kills 10 people^c	Pollen
2018	August	Vic	20,000 m² factory fire occurs on site storing waste at West Footscray^d	Smoke
2019	Summer	Tas	Bushfires west of Huon Valley burn 170,988 ha^a,b	Smoke
2019	April	Vic	Large factory fire occurs on site storing waste at Campbellfield^e	Smoke
2019	November	NSW	Dustiest month since records began in 2005^f	Dust
2019–20	Summer	South-east Australia	Bushfires burn 5,567,402 ha^a,b, contributing to 417 excess deaths^g	Smoke, accompanied by smog
2020	March–April	Australia	COVID-19 pandemic	Varies by jurisdiction
2020	May	WA	Cyclone Mangga produces 100 km/h winds and very high levels of PM₁₀ in Geraldton	Dust

ha = hectare; km/h = kilometre per hour; m² = square metre; NSW = New South Wales; PM₁₀ = coarse particulate matter; Tas = Tasmania; Vic = Victoria; WA = Western Australia

Sources: a MODIS MCD64A1 Collection 6 Burned Area product; b Giglio et al. (2018); c DHHS (2017); d IGEM (2020); e Personal communication, EPA Victoria; f Community DustWatch (2019); g Borchers Arriagada et al. (2020)

For more information, go toOutlook and impacts

Table 2 Sources of air pollutants in Australia

Type of pollutant	Pollutant	Major sources
Primary pollutants	Carbon monoxide	Combustion, including biomass (vegetation) burning in domestic wood heaters, prescribed burns and bushfires, motor vehicles and metal manufacturing
	Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and nitric oxide (NO), together termed NO_x	Combination of nitrogen and oxygen during high-temperature combustion of fossil fuels Motor vehicle exhaust (responsible for about 80% of urban NO₂) Electricity generation in fossil-fuelled power stations, petrol and metal refining, food processing and other manufacturing industries NO_x naturally emitted from lightning activity and from microbial action in soils
	Sulfur dioxide	Electricity generation in coal-fired power stations; metal smelting of sulfurous ores, including lead, copper, zinc, aluminium and iron
	Coarse particulate matter (PM₁₀)	Burning in domestic wood heaters, prescribed burns and bushfires; mining; other land uses; and road dust Sea salt and windblown dust
	Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5₎	Combustion Chemical processes – can form in the atmosphere during chemical reactions, such as those involving secondary nitrates and sulfates, and secondary organic aerosols
	Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)	Industrial applications involving paints, solvents and evaporative fuels Naturally occurring VOCs emitted from vegetation Cleaning and personal hygiene products
Secondary pollutants	Ozone	Atmospheric photochemical reactions of primary pollutants, NO_x and VOCs from motor vehicles, industry and natural sources Naturally occurring background ozone and stratospheric intrusions
Hazardous substances	Lead	Road dust, metal manufacturing and metal ore mining
	Mercury	Mining, metal processing industries and power stations Soil and vegetation, biomass burning and geological sources
	Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)	POPs in pesticides and industrial chemicals, and produced as a byproduct of industrial processes PAHs generated during the incomplete combustion of organic materials
Allergens	Pollen, fungal spores	Plants and fungi

For more information, go toAir pollution types and sources

Table 3 NEPMs for ambient air quality

Pollutant	Averaging period	Maximum concentration (NEPM variation^a)	Maximum allowable exceedances (goal)
Carbon monoxide	8 hours	9.0 ppm	1 day per year
Lead	1 year	0.50 μg/m³	None
Nitrogen dioxide	1 hour 1 year	0.12 ppm (0.09 ppm^a) 0.03 ppm (0.019 ppm^a)	1 day per year None
PM₁₀	1 day 1 year	50 μg/m³ 25 μg/m³	None^b
PM_2.5	1 day 1 year	25 μg/m³ 8 μg/m³	None^b (2025: 20 μg/m³) (7 μg/m³ 2025 goal)
Ozone	1 hour 4 hours 8 hours^a	0.10 ppm 0.08 ppm (0.065 ppm^a)	1 day per year 1 day per year (None^a)
Sulfur dioxide	1 hour 1 day 1 year	0.20 ppm (0.10 ppm^a) 0.08 ppm (0.02 ppm^a) 0.02 ppm	1 day per year (2025: 0.075 ppm^a) 1 day per year None

μg/m³ = microgram per cubic metre; NEPM = National Environment Protection Measure; PM_2.5 = fine particulate matter; PM₁₀ = coarse particulate matter; ppm = parts per million

New NEPM standards for ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide were ratified in April 2021.
There are allowable exceedances for particulate matter for exceptional events under Clause 18 of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM: ‘fire or dust occurrence that adversely affects air quality at a particular location and causes an exceedance of 1-day average standards in excess of normal historical fluctuations and background levels, and is directly related to: bushfire; jurisdiction authorised hazard reduction burning; or continental scale windblown dust’.

For more information, go toNational and international agreements and policy

Table 4 Measurement techniques used to monitor air quality pollutants at state and territory monitoring stations

Pollutant	Measurement technique
Carbon monoxide	Infrared spectrometry
Ozone	Ultraviolet spectroscopy
Nitrogen dioxide	Chemiluminescence
Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5₎	Beta attenuation monitor
Coarse particulate matter (PM₁₀₎	Tapered element oscillating microbalance
Sulfur dioxide	Pulsed fluorescent spectrophotometry

For more information, go toNational and international agreements and policy

Table 5 Progress in delivering actions in priority areas in the National Clean Air Agreement 2015–17 work plan

Priority areas	Actions	Status
Standards	Vary the Ambient Air Quality NEPM to strengthen particle reporting standards	Complete
	Review the Ambient Air Quality NEPM for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone towards strengthening the standards	Complete
	Review the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000	Complete
	Review Air Toxics and Diesel Vehicle Emissions NEPMs	Ongoing
Emissions reduction measures	Reduce emissions from nonroad spark-ignition engines and equipment (decision RIS completed 2015)	Complete
	Reduce emissions from wood heaters	Ongoing
	Manage nonroad diesel engine and marine engine emissions	Ongoing
Partnerships and cooperation	Explore partnerships with nongovernment stakeholders to positively influence air quality outcomes	Ongoing
Partnerships and cooperation	Improve exchange of information and experiences in implementing air quality management and monitoring tools across jurisdictions	Complete
Better knowledge, education and awareness	Improve access to reliable air quality information for researchers, policy-makers and the community: National Air Quality Data Service National Environmental Science Program Clean Air and Urban Landscapes hub	Complete
Better knowledge, education and awareness	Undertake National Pollutant Inventory reforms	Ongoing
Priority setting	Establish and implement a priority-setting process and work plan	Complete

NEPM = National Environment Protection Measure; RIS = regulation impact statement

For more information, go toNational and international agreements and policy

Table 6 National Clean Air Agreement work plan for 2018–20

Priority areas	Actions
Standards	Review latest scientific evidence of health impacts in relation to annual average PM₁₀ standards in the Ambient Air Quality NEPM Complete review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM standards for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone Review legislative instruments made under the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 Reduce emissions from nonroad spark-ignition engines and equipment (decision RIS completed 2015) Review the need for the Air Toxics and Diesel Vehicle Emissions NEPMs
Emissions reduction measures	Reduce emissions from wood heaters Manage nonroad diesel engine emissions
Partnerships and cooperation	Engage and explore opportunities with nongovernment stakeholders to positively influence air quality outcomes
Better knowledge, education and awareness	Improve access to reliable air quality information for researchers, policy-makers and the community Undertake National Pollutant Inventory reforms

NEPM = National Environment Protection Measure; PM₁₀ = coarse particulate matter; RIS = regulation impact statement

For more information, go toNational and international agreements and policy