Park’s action plan to tackle climate crisis
Biodiversity loss, disruption to water supplies and flooding are just some of the challenges the Cairngorms National Park will face because of climate change.
However, the Cairngorms National Park Authority says it is well placed to help tackle the global climate emergency through nature-based solutions.
In a paper set to go before the park authority today (Friday, December 6), officers will look at temperature trends and snow cover in the national park to try and model possible future changes to snow cover caused by climate change on the area’s sub-arctic high mountains.
Grant Moir, the park’s chief executive, will present the paper titled ‘Net zero with nature’, and outline efforts to contribute to the Scottish Government’s 2045 net zero greenhouse gas emissions target.
The research, which has been carried out by the team at the James Hutton Institute in Invergowrie, suggests snow cover patterns will remain the same for the next 10 years, but from 2030 onwards, there is likely to be a substantial decline in the number of days of snow cover. consequences for species composition and distribution, potentially resulting in biodiversity loss.
And the amount and temperature of ground water, streams and rivers, as well as reduced river flows in winter time, will impact on local water supplies and increase the risk of flooding due to rapid snow melt.
Mike Rivington from the James Hutton Institute said: “There are many weather factors that determine when, where and how much snow falls, and what happens to it once it’s on the ground, for example how windy it is.
“This report only looks at what rising temperatures may mean for the number of days with snow on the ground in the Cairngorms National Park.
“If we are successful in reducing emissions globally, we may moderate the impact.
“The historical snow cover data for the park is incomplete, limiting analysis.
“Combined with daily climate projections available only for one emissions scenario, we need daily projections to look at the number of snow cover days in the future, this report is only a first step, not a blueprint.”