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Nats' electorates projected to be hottest

If global emissions rise until 2050, modelling shows Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud's Qld seat will have temperatures 4.64C higher than now.

Australian Agriculture Minister David Littleproud
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud's seat predicted to have big temperature rise. (AAP) Source: AAP

If global emissions continue to rise Agriculture Minister David Littleproud's Queensland electorate will swelter through average temperatures more than 4 degrees Celsius higher than they are now.

An analysis commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation looked at how temperatures may rise by 2050 in Australia's 151 federal electorates in a worst-case scenario.

Foundation chief Kelly O'Shanassy says many of the electorates with the highest projected increases are represented by MPs who do little on climate change.

Of the 20 federal electorates most at risk of rising temperatures, eight are held by the Nationals, six are Labor-held and five are Liberal seats.

Australia's emissions have increased over the past five years under the coalition's policies, despite the government's insistence the nation will meet its international obligations to reduce pollution.

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Ms O'Shanassy says Australia's seasons are projected to have dramatic changes.

"With current winter conditions disappearing and much of the year dominated by traditional summer conditions, plus a new extreme summer," she said on Monday.

"It is disappointing that many of the federal electorates found to have the highest projected increases in average maximum temperatures are represented by MPs who do little to champion climate action, or worse, deny the established science."

Queensland contains the most of the top 20 hottest electorates, with nine on the hot list, followed by seven in NSW.

The Queensland electorate of Groom, held by Liberals MP John McVeigh, topped the list with projections showing average temperatures could increase by 4.77C by 2050.

Mr Littleproud's Queensland electorate of Maranoa followed, with a projected increase of 4.64C.

The modelling was done by the Australian National University using data from the Queensland government's LongPaddock project.

It uses the highest global emissions pathway modelled by scientists, which assumes emissions continue to rise and accelerate.


2 min read

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Source: AAP


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