Canberra, March 20 : Record-breaking heat, mass coral bleaching, and biodiversity loss continue to threaten Australia's ecosystems, according to the latest Australia's Environment Report published on Thursday.

The report, produced annually by the Australian National University (ANU) and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) after analysing extensive satellite, station, and field data, said Australia's environment showed a slight improvement in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of above-average conditions.

However, Australia experienced its second-hottest year on record after 2019, with sea surface temperatures reaching all-time highs, which led to the fifth mass bleaching event in the Great Barrier Reef in under a decade and severe bleaching in Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef, the report said.

Habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change continue to endanger native ecosystems. While 41 species were added to the threatened species list in 2024, down from a record 130 in 2023, it remains well above the long-term average of 25 per year, it said.

The Threatened Species Index shows an average 58 per cent decline in threatened species populations since 2000. However, report co-author Tayla Lawrie from the TERN noted a slight recent improvement, suggesting possible stabilisation for some species, Xinhua news agency reported.

In 2024, Australia's environmental score reached 7.7 out of 10, a significant recovery from the disaster years of 2019 and 2020, when scores ranged from 0.4 to 2 after the Black Summer bushfires damaged the country's biodiversity, the report showed.

Despite favourable rainfall improving vegetation and soil health, ANU Prof. Albert Van Dijk, lead author of the report, warns the environmental improvements of the last four years do not negate long-term concerns.

As Australia's per capita greenhouse gas emissions remain among the highest in the world, Professor Van Dijk calls for investment in renewable energy, stronger land management policies, and enhanced biodiversity conservation efforts.

/IANS