Environment in Freefall: NSW State of the Environment Report “Truly Alarming”
NSW State of the Environment Report 2024, was released on 26 July 2025, and the results were truly shocking. Across almost every indicator, nature is in decline.
The report is NSW’s premier scientific report card. Released every three years by the NSW Environment Protection Authority – the report tracks the health of our land, waterways, wildlife, air and climate over time.
From a tripling of the number of annual fish kill events, to the ever-growing list of endangered species – it’s clear that we all need to take urgent action to turn these startling findings around.
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), EcoNetwork’s statewide affiliate, in its media release, says this year almost all indicators are “getting worse”.
NCC describes the Key Report Findings
“ Since the last report, 36 more animal and plant species have been listed as threatened with extinction.
Since 2021, there have been 190 fish kill events, with tens of millions of fish dying in some events.
Alarmingly, the fastest growing segment of threatened animals is those which are critically endangered, which grew by 35 species over the same period. This is a stark indicator of the worsening biodiversity crisis, and shows current settings to protect endangered species are not working.
Across the state, distribution of native land mammals continues to shrink, with fewer habitats left to offer safe refuge. The clearing of native vegetation remains significantly higher than before land clearing laws were loosened in 2016, with agriculture the main driver.
Projections show that only half of all native animal species currently listed are expected to survive the next 100 years.”
NCC Recommendations
“In response to the State of the Environment report card, NCC is calling on the NSW Government to:
- Rein in land clearing for agriculture by closing legal loopholes.
- End native forest logging, protecting 1 million hectares of our most precious forest for conservation and recreation.
- Reduce water extraction by irrigators, allowing inland rivers to connect and flow.
- Restore coastal estuaries to protect communities from climate impacts.
- Increase funding for environmental programs from 1.6% to at least 2% of state expenditure to resource an effective NSW Nature Strategy.”
Jacqui Mumford, NCC’s CEO says
“Every NSW resident should be outraged that our shared natural heritage is being stolen from under our feet.”
The NSW Government urgently needs to develop and implement their Nature Strategy, fix the laws that aren’t working and truly chart a path out of this crisis.
This is an opportunity for Premier Minns to secure a legacy as the government that stood up for nature by acting urgently to stop extinction, restore ecosystems, and protect the future for all of us.”
NSW State of the Environment Report ~ highlights are easily accessed
Read the NSW State of the Environment Report 2024, reporting on the status of environmental indicators and the pressures that are accelerating the impacts of human activities. It provides an overview of responses to environmental issues.
The report is organised in 8 easy to access themes.
