Majority of Australia's environment in 'poor' state as Labor blames the Coalition for decade of 'inaction and wilful ignorance'

The federal government says it will adopt a new target of protecting 30 per cent of Australia's land by 2030, after the latest State of the Environment Report found the country's environment was in a "poor and deteriorating state". Key points: Every category except urban environments has deteriorated since the last report was published in 2016 Environment Minster Tanya Plibersek has described the report as a "shocking document" The most recent report was handed to the previous government in December last year, but it did not release it before the election Climate change, mining, pollution, invasive species and habitat loss are outlined in the five-yearly report that has been released on Tuesday, with Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek laying the blame squarely at the feet of the previous Coalition government. "It tells a story of crisis and decline in Australia's environment of a decade of government inaction and wilful ignorance," Ms Plibersek said. "The Coalition delivered several initiatives protected Australia's natural environment," the spokesperson said, pointing to the $1 billion invested in the Great Barrier Reef and the first-ever national koala recovery plan. 'Climate trigger' needed Australian Academy of Science president Chennupati Jagadish said the report was "sobering reading" and urged the government to go further on climate change action.