Eden-Monaro is amongst a list of regional areas set to roast, according to the Climate Council’s latest heat map tool. This newly unveiled model comes amidst rising concerns over escalating temperatures, and depicts the daunting future that awaits regional Australia should climate pollution persist unabated.
PHOTO: Snow in Kosciuszko National Park could be reduced to just the higher peaks by 2090 CREDIT: John Spencer (NSW DPIE)
Using this model, Climate Councillor, Professor David Karoly, emphasises the gravity of the situation, particularly for the Snowy Mountains. “In the Eden-Monaro electorate we can see that if there’s no action to cut climate pollution, then by 2090 on average there will be nine times more hot days over 35 degrees on average, (from one day per year to 9).”
“That means that in warm years alpine regions could face significant increases in hot days,” Professor Karoly stated, highlighting the severe repercussions for local ecosystems and human health introduced by even marginal increases in hot days.
PHOTO: Early starts to summer and drier Monaro grasslands have become a regular theme in the region.
The heat map indicates that warming temperatures are already contributing to a decline in winter snow across Australia’s alpine ski fields, consequentially threatening snow-based tourism. With alpine regions covering only a minuscule 0.15% of the continent, and lower-elevation ski resorts being the most vulnerable, potential snowfall declines of 60-80% by the end of the century loom ominously, leaving only the highest peaks relatively safe.
Alpine ecosystems, home to unique and sensitive flora and fauna, stand on the brink as they are reportedly exposed to climate extremities. Thredbo, a renowned ski village within Eden-Monaro, could transition from zero days over 35 degrees Celsius on average to experiencing one such day annually.
While seemingly minor, Professor Karoly explains that, “even a small increase in the average number of hot days or nights can have a big impact, and can damage our ecosystems and our health.”
This stark warning comes as part of broader projections detailed by the Climate Council, where regional electorates are set to endure the brunt of increased temperatures if Australia fails to promptly cut back on greenhouse gas emissions.