Friday, 26 November 2010

What is your carbon footprint?



  • Calculate your carbon footprint using the ‘Act on CO2’ web site

  • Draw a divided bar chart to show your footprint

  • Draw a divided bar chart for the national average footprint

  • Create a ‘plan’ to begin to reduce your carbon footprint

  • Sort the actions by ‘Easiest to do’. Complete the table to show three actions you could take in each of the categories – Home, Appliances and Travel

The business case studies are here.

Wednesday, 17 November 2010

1953 Storm Surge, SE England

Use the following links for further investigation into the 1953 storm surge.

Wednesday, 10 November 2010

History of climate change and mitigation and adaption


Use this website to complete the climate change timeline.
Use these two sites to add examples onto your mitigation / adaption table:
Adaption to climate change
Mitigation against climate change

Oil sands



To the last drop - video

Guardian video
National Geographic video
The Alberta oil sands
Greenpeace Canada

Tuesday, 9 November 2010

Gas pathways


Gas pathways into the EU are vital for energy security. Problems in Russia and the former Soviet states threaten this supply.


Nabucco pipeline

South Stream pipeline

Nord Stream pipeline

Russia - Ukraine gas disputes
Russia Today report - Nabucco

Videographic from The Economist

Russia-Ukraine gas dispute report 1 and 2

Monday, 8 November 2010

Urbanisation


Complete the urbanisation maps using this link.

Thursday, 4 November 2010

What would a 4C warmer world look like?


In the build up to the Copenhagen Conference in December, the UK Governement has released a new map showing the predicted impacts of a 4oC global temperature increase worldwide. View the map here. The Guardian followed the launch of the map closely.

For more detail, also go to the Met Office site.

Use the map to complete the sheets you have been given.

Energy demand in China and India


A series of links to help with the question on energy demand in China and India.


A summary of a recent report












Monday, 1 November 2010

Stern Review - impacts of climate change


Investigate the Stern Review using the following guidelines:
  • What was the Stern review?
  • Summarise its findings
  • Include a table similar to that on p62 of the text book detailing th epossible effects of temperature rises on life on earth
The whole report is available here, but as it is hundreds of pages long, I suggest looking at the Executive Summary.

The BBC Business pages summarised the findings. Wikipedia also has it's review.

The Guardian newspaper (among others) reported on the release of the review extensively.

Submit Friday 5 November

Natural causes of climate change


The impact of volcanoes on climate:

Article from Scientific American

Article from the MetOffice


The impact of solar output on climate:

Independent article

Independent article

UK energy security


Use the following links to help with your report:


The Energy Security report by Malcolm Wicks MP (just read the Executive Summary)

The Governement response

This entry on the 'Oil Drum' blog

Government energy security research paper (just read the Summary)

A report from IPPR

Guardian article - there are many more similar

Thursday, 28 October 2010

Migration into the EU


Thousands of Africans try to make the journey to Europe each year. The BBC News website gives information about the routes they travel, the cause of this movement and some of its impacts as well as personal stories.

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

Primary energy sources

Use the following to help you with your research task:

A good summary of all the Primary Energy Sources

Wikipedia entry for renewable energy
Wikipedia entry for fossil fuels

Data on amounts of renewable sources used to generate electricity.

Good section of BP website on alternative energy

Good section on Shell website about energy diversity

Greenpeace site on renewable energy

Wind power in the 'How Stuff Works' website. Other energy sources also on the site
BBC Energy in the UK mini-site - links to lots of relevant stories

Energy on BBC Bitesize

Impacts of climate change in Africa and the Arctic




AS Geography requires two compulsary case studies of the impacts of climate change - Arctic and Africa.

Create case study sheets for both the Arctic and Africa using the following headings:

Introduction to the region
Evidence for climate change in the region
Why is the region vulnerable to climate change?
Physical impacts - animals and the environment
Human impacts
Each case study should be at least 2 sides. You should try and include maps and diagrams.

Your text book offers a starting point (p53-56), but you will need to supplement this with your own research. Some links below to help you:

Arctic
There is a large amount of information on the internet which can help you with this compulsary case study. The Natural Resources Defence Council answers some key questions, as does the Pew Centre on Global Climate Change. More information is given by the Centre for International Environment Law. A search in some of the newspaper sites can be productive. For example, the Guardian which has articles such as this and this. Finally, the BBC is always a good source of information. There are a number of good articles - for example: here and here.


Africa
The BBC has articles which would be a good starting point. The WWF has written two very good papers on the impacts in East Africa. The Stern Report into climate change also had a chapter referencing the impacts of climate change on Africa. It is very long - but try just reading the Executive Summary.

Tuesday, 5 October 2010

Earthquakes and volcanoes


Use this interactive link to complete the worksheet on earthquakes. Use this one for the first section of the volcano questions and then this BBC link for the last section.

Thursday, 30 September 2010

Philippines verging on disaster


The AS Unit 1 course has a compulsory case study which needs to be researched: the Philippines as a disaster hotspot. Look at the following links when researching the topic...


A good site with maps of various hazard risks can be accessed here.


The PHIVOLCS website has some general information here.


This report is very comprehensive, and you will have to dig around a bit, selecting the most relevant data, but includes a good overview (pp. 1-2)


Shakin' all over!


Just how free from geophysical and climatic/weather hazards is the UK? We can probably all remember a flooding event, or a storm where there was some damaging winds reported, but how often do these sorts of things occur?


You might like to check out the following websites, to investigate just how prone we are to things like...









Human impact of world water supply security

Guardian article

Bam video

UNICEF
5 years on

Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Comparing earthquakes


USe the following links to help research the presentations comparing two earthquakes. For the basic information, start at Wikipedia.

1989 Loma Prieta (San Francisco)

1989 Spitak (Armenia)

2003 San Simeon (Central California)



Then see the following:

Loma Prieta - photos, BBC
Spitak (Armenia) - USGS page, photos,
San Simeon - USGS
Bam - BBC

Friday, 24 September 2010

Scotland's hazard risk


Investigate recent hazard events and risk of Scotland. Use the links below to help you:



Reports from 2010 'big freeze'



Cultural imperialism


Use these links to complete the worksheet on cultural imperialism.







Thursday, 23 September 2010

Intergovernmental Organisations


There are key links between the superpowers and various intergovernmental organisations.


Here are some links to aid your research into a few of them.


BBC guide to the Davos Group


The BBC also has a very good summary of a number of International Organisations:








The OECD offical website gives you information on its development.


There is always wikipedia too...



Monday, 20 September 2010

Hazard Hotspots




You need to know about both the Philippines and California as examples of multiple hazard hotspots. Use the template provided to create case study sheets for these two areas.


There is a lot of information on the web to help you. A sample to start with is here:


Disaster information from the Philippines
An excellent PowerPoint on the Philippines
An excellent map of the Philippines
Specifics on the natural hazards faced by California
A good summary of the issues facing California
More from USGS on California
Search here for the region you have chosen and you will get a list of hazards
Go here for excellent maps for ALL countries and the hazards which affect them
That should be plenty to start with!

Saturday, 18 September 2010

China in Africa


Some resources looking at the impact of neo-colonialism.


An episode from Channel 4's Unreported World series on China's influence in Africa.


Article 'Why Africa welcome the new colonialism' from The Times


Article 'China tightens its grip on Africa with a $4.4bn lifeline...' from The Times

Wikipedia entries


Monday, 6 September 2010

Bam earthquake 2003


Almost 30000 people died in the Bam earthquake in December 2003. Below are an number of links to help you with your MS Publisher piece of work.












Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Threats and pressures on biodiversity in the South Pacific


The pre-release material for the A2 Unit 3 needs an understanding of the reasons why this area has important species biodiversity, worthy of conservation, and an appreciation of the physical threats and human pressures such biodiversity faces.

In order to help your research, look at these video clips, in the following order...

Clip 1

Clip 2

Clip 3

Pleasant viewing! As is always recommended, make notes from the commentary as you watch each clip, paying particular attention to include memorable facts and figures.
Last summer, the occupants of the Carteret Islands in the Pacific became the first peoples in the world to be deliberately evacuated because of the effects of global climate change - refugees from rising sea level.

Read about here.

Friday, 23 April 2010

Eyjafjallajokull


We need to look at the currently erupting Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland. Complete a case study sheet for this eruption. The following links will give you a starting point.


Wikipedia - background

Wikipedia - impacts


Channel 4 news Q&A

The Guardian coverage

The Times coverage

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Unit 4 holiday work - case study research


Use the emailed template to create four case studies of recent tectonic events. The links below will provide a starting point.

Port au Prince, Haiti 2010

L’Aquila, Italy 2009
Soufriere Hills, Montserrat 1997 - 2010

Mt.Pinatubo, Philippines 1991

Thursday, 18 March 2010

Caving in limestone caves


We have been looking at limestone in the II Form. Caving is a sport which is made possible by the weathering and erosion of the caves and tunnels deep underground. The following clips show two sides to the sport - fun and, unfortunaely, tragedy.


Ultimate caving - Kate Humble

Monday, 8 March 2010

Africa to Europe migration


Thousands of Africans try to make the journey to Europe each year. The BBC News website gives information about the routes they travel, the cause of this movement and some of its impacts as well as personal stories.

Sunday, 21 February 2010

Plate tectonics


Use the USGS online text book - This Dynamic Earth to complete the research task.

Thursday, 4 February 2010

Intergovernmental Organisations


There are key links between the superpowers and various intergovernmental organisations.


Here are some links to aid your research into a few of them.


BBC guide to the Davos Group


The BBC also has a very good summary of a number of International Organisations:








The OECD offical website gives you information on its development.


There is always wikipedia too...



Wednesday, 3 February 2010

Falling birth rates


Some articles from The Guardian on Monday about the falling birth rates in Europe


Extract from Fred Pearce's new book and an article showing this is not just an issue in the developed world.


The ageing population issue and the data behind the story.

Tuesday, 2 February 2010

China in Africa


Some resources looking at the impact of neo-colonialism.


An episode from Channel 4's Unreported World series on China's influence in Africa.


Article 'Why Africa welcome the new colonialism' from The Times


Article 'China tightens its grip on Africa with a $4.4bn lifeline...' from The Times

Wikipedia entries


Monday, 18 January 2010

IV Form renewable energy task

Use the following to help you with your research task

Wikipedia entry for renewable energy

Data on amounts of renewable sources used to generate electricity.

Good section of BP website on alternative energy

Good section on Shell website about energy diversity

Greenpeace site on renewable energy

Examples of renewable energy being used

Wind power in the 'How Stuff Works' website. Other energy sources also on the site

BBC Energy in the UK mini-site - links to lots of relevant stories

An interesting exercise on the BBC site to illustrate the problems associated with managing energy demand

Energy on BBC Bitesize

Energy sources from US Energy

Transport, trade and education questions


Links to support the questions on 'Transport, Trade and Education'.



Link about GDP growth in the region

Link about Fujairah Free Trade Zone

Friday, 15 January 2010

Social and environmental issues in the small Gulf States


Some articles to help with the questions set on the environmental and social issues in the small Gulf States.





Water scarcity: an impending crisis' in Qatar

MENA report - Unit 3 pre-release

The World Bank produces an annual development report for the Middle East and North Africa (2008 MENA Economic Developments and Prospects : Regional Integration for Global Competitiveness).

Below are some of the key points from the overview:

During 2007 MENA experienced average growth of 5.7%
Fifth year in a row the growth has been above 5%
An achievement against the backdrop of turbulence in the financial markets and arise in the costs of food stuffs
Oil prices rose by 78% in 2007
UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain are categorized as ‘resource-rich, labour importing’ countries
Region has done well when compared to it’s past, but not when compared to other regions
Global financial turbulence seems to have had little impact
All countries remain high importers of food
FDI reached $45 billion in the region
UAE one of the three largest FDI recipients in the region
16% of all migrant earnings are in the Middle East
Oil boom has led to increased migration to the oil-exporting countries
Despite the positives, much still needs to be done if this region is to keep up in an increasingly competitive global market

Thursday, 7 January 2010

Unit 3 pre-release materials


Some links to help with the work on this. More will be added as we go through the material so check back.



Nationmaster - good for background statistics
Article about China's influence in the region
Global Trends 2025: A transformed world - an interesting perspective on the future from the US NIC