Australian_Geographic_2015_07-08.

July - August 2015 117

Australian 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.

ENVIRONMENT

T

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 simultaneous

25zero 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 PENBERTHY

SOCIETY FUNDR AISER

L

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 Penberthy

圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀 July–August 2015 117

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