The 2021 State of the Environment Report is a legislated document under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), which provides a review of Australia’s natural environment every five years. By providing a review on the state of Australia’s environment, the report is designed to help shape strategy, policy and action to influence behaviours and to assess the actions taken to prevent further environmental decline in Australia.

The evaluation uses a mixed-methods approach and focuses on the impact, utility and relevance of the report and the effectiveness of its promotion. To measure success and determine the extent to which the report is meeting the outcomes, the evaluation considers the impact the report has had on various stakeholder groups. The evaluation was informed by documents and data provided by the Department, and engagement with key stakeholders through one-on-one interviews, group interviews, and online surveys. The evaluation was guided by a co-design workshop with the Department which revealed a set of themes and lines of enquiry.

The recommendations focus on key ways to improve:

• communication and promotion of the report
• the response to the report
• accessibility of the report
• use and impact of the report.