Summary

Key socio-economic statistics for Australia at 30 June 2017:

Gross Valued Added (GVA) is at $1,645b:

• Estimated resident population is 24,601,860 people
• Estimated number of households 9,394,975
• Both GVA and population continue to trend upwards.

Figure 1. Socio-economic indicators



Key socio-economic and environmental indicators for Australia 2016-17:

Australia consumed/generated:

• 16,558 GL of water
• 23,738 PJ of energy
• 54,485,690 tonnes of waste
• 545,708,200 tonnes of Greenhouse gas emissions.

Per capita Australians consumed/produced:

• 673 kL of water
• 965 GJ of energy
• 2,215 kg of waste
• 22.2 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

The average Australian household consumed:

• 203 kL of water
• 135.2 GJ of energy.

Intensity:

• Water intensity increased by 1% to 8.9 ML/$m GVA
• Energy intensity decreased 1% to 1,709 GJ/$m GVA
• Greenhouse gas emissions intensity decreased 2% to 290 tonnes/$m GVA.

Figure 2. Water and energy consumption per capita


National approach to Environmental-Economic accounting

The ABS produces a selected set of environmental-economic accounts annually to support the growing demand for integrated environmental-economic information in Australia. The ABS also supports the implementation of the common national approach to environmental-economic accounting in Australia developed by the Department of the Environment and Energy. This approach has been developed in collaboration with state and territory governments to ensure that coherent, comprehensive and integrated accounts are built and support public sector and business decision making at all levels. For more information please see: Environmental Economic Accounting: A common national approach strategy and action plan.