July - August 2015 117Australian Geographic Society adventurer Tim Jarvis will
draw attention to the fragility of the last glaciers found on the
equator during the COP 21 UN Climate Change Conference.ENVIRONMENTT
IM JARVIS, the AGS 2013
Adventurer of the Year,
is raising the profi le of
the world’s last 25 equatorial
mountains that support glaciers.
His 25zero campaign will coincide
with the COP21 United Nations
Climate Change Conference, to be
held in Paris in December.
Records show that some of the
world’s equatorial glaciers have
receded by more than 50 per cent
in the past 30 years. Scientists now
suggest that, due to climate change,
the last 25 equatorial mountains
harbouring glaciers will lose them
within 25 years.
“Equatorial glaciers were
brought to my attention when I
climbed Mt Kenya [one of the 25
mountains] in 2008. My 20-year-
old guidebook then referred to
there being 11 glaciers on the
mountain,” Tim says. “Sadly, in
2008 there were only three.”
To raise awareness of this and
other climate change initiatives
Tim will be encouraging many
teams to make simultaneous25zero project to highlight
plight of equatorial glaciers
ascents of all 25 mountains
during the 12-day COP 21
conference. A core team led by
Tim will scale three mountains on
three continents: the Carstensz
Pyramid (Pancak Jaya) in Asia,
Kilimanjaro in Africa, and
Chimborazo in South America.
Those who want to take part,
but can’t get to one of the 25zero
mountains, will be able to use a
personal accelerometer to climb
the equivalent height of a 25zero
peak in their local surrounds.
Each participant will raise
funds for 25 projects combating
climate change. Beyond COP21,
25zero will continue to use the
decline of the equator’s glaciers as
a global call to action and future
climbs have been planned for
2016 and beyond.
“It’s too late to save the
equatorial glaciers, unfortunately,”
says Tim. “We can, however, save
the planet by acting decisively
now to curb the worst eff ects of
climate change.”
NATSUMI PENBERTHYSOCIETY FUNDR AISERL
EADBEATER’S POSSUM was
classified by the federal
government as critically
endangered in April (see page 19).
In response, the AG Society is
raising funds for Zoos Victoria and
Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum
(FLP) to support the conservation
of this iconic Victorian species.
Zoos Victoria will continue two
decades of survey work and further
develop a captive-breeding program
to protect the limited genetics of
the possum’s lowland population at
Yellingbo Conservation Reserve,
east of Melbourne. FLP will install
and monitor nest boxes and support
habitat revegetation as part of a
range of conservation responses.
Community support is fundamental
to securing the possum’s recovery,
and plays a part in both programs.OR VISIT http://www.australian-
geographic.com.au/society,
or send a cheque to: The Australian
Geographic Society administrator, Level 9,
54–58 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000.Rescue the
possum magic!
Help secure our populations
of Leadbeater’s possum.DONATE
Use the free viewa
app to scan this page
and donate
to our appeal.In retreat. This Mt Kenya
glacier, at centre, once
extended across this
entire area. Tim (inset) at
Mt Kenya’s Point Lenana.COURTESY TIM JARVIS; ESTHER BEATON/
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri
Your Society is edited by Natsumi PenberthyJuly–August 2015 117