The Economic Perspective 11 July 2025

The Latest Trending Economic News Curated for You by Balmoral Group Australia

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Good morning dear readers, 

In this edition, we focus on different water issues Australia is currently facing. Harmful Algae Blooms continue spreading in South Australia and they are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Additionally, the Great Barrier Reef could be added to the World Heritage 'in danger' list next year due to lack of progress on the reef's key threats. This week's data visualisation showcases the NSW River Condition Index. This is part of the NSW State of the Environment 2024 report, which assesses ongoing challenges and responses across seven themes.

Hope you enjoy the articles and have a great weekend!

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ESMA Sets Emissions Reduction Targets in First Climate Transition Plan 

The European Securities and Markets Authority released its first Climate Transition Plan to align its internal operations with the EU’s long-term climate goals and the Paris Agreement. The plan targets interim GHG reduction goals of 15.4% by 2027 and 31.4% by 2030. The plan contains metrics for the different emission sources as well as financial savings. Read more here.

Six-month 'in danger' Warning for Great Barrier Reef Repeated at UN meeting 

At its most recent meeting in Paris, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee highlighted that the Great Barrier Reef’s long-term outlook is very poor and warned that it could be included in the list of world heritage in danger next year. The committee asked Australia to provide a progress report by February 2026 on the reef's status. Read more here.

South Australia ‘helpless’ in face of deadly marine algal bloom spreading to Adelaide beaches 

Harmful algae blooms have been affecting the state’s coastline since March and water testing revealed that they have spread to Adelaide’s beaches. Since March, about 8,000 dead marine animals have been recorded, affecting 390 different species. These have had significant flow-effects on commercial fishing, tourism and related businesses. Read more here.

Can a Pizza Box Go in the Yellow Bin – or not? 

Research shows most Australians believe they are good recyclers. But only 25% of people separate waste correctly and up to 35% of recycling goes to landfill unnecessarily. Not all facilities can process items with food and other residues and others rely on humans to sort the items, meaning that a significant share of a batch can be contaminated and has to be sent to a landfill. Read more here.

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NSW River Condition Index 

The index assesses river health by evaluating riparian vegetation cover, hydrological stress, biodiversity and geomorphic condition, catchment disturbance and water quality index. The 2023 values show rivers in southern and central western regions have worse river conditions than those in the far west. More key findings on NSW State of Environment Report here.

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