004 - Global Climate Change - Impacts and Management
Geographic Knowledge and Understanding
The impacts and management of global climate change in extreme environments, including adaptation by local populations.
Concepts
Future possibilities for the impact of climate change upon extreme environments can be modelled based upon past patterns and trends from collected data. The impacts of climate change can be managed at different scales. Climate change in extreme environments will have cultural and social impacts on populations and create the possibility for economic and demographic change.
Aims
To be able to describe and explain the impacts and management of global climate change in high latitude and altitude extreme environments, including adaptation by local populations.
Key Terminology
Ablation (you should already know this)
Activity One - Detailed Example - Alaska
For this syllabus point, you need to look at not just the general impact of climate change in extreme environments but specifically how the local or indigenous population are adapting to cope with the change. To do this we are going to revisit Alaska, USA.
Using the National Geographic link in the 'Useful Resources' box describe the changes in the climate in the Arctic Circle. Don't forget to include data in your answer.
Using Google Maps below describe where Barrow is located.
Why can the location of Barrow be described as extreme?
Watch the youtube clip below and make notes on the share padlet describing what the issue in Barrow is and how the local population are adapting to the changes.
Read through everyones notes on the padlet and then transfer the key points on to your paper. Flesh the notes out by reading The Grist article in the 'Useful Resources' box.
Much of what we have discussed so far has focused on the negative impacts of climate change in this region but are there any benefits? Read the second Bloomberg link in the 'Useful Resources' box and make notes on how the economy could develop.
Group Collaboration - Padlet
Useful Resources
MSNBC
Barrow, Alaska: The Leading Edge of Climate Change
To Read
National Geographic - Summer Ice in the Arctic could be gone by 2035 - Challenges - Description of the changes to the sea ice due to climate change
Grist - Climate change in Barrow/Utqiagvik, Alaska - Adaptation - indigenous populations adaptation to climate change
World Economic Forum and Science Daily - Sea Ice and shipping routes and Quartz - Oil extraction - Opportunities due to a reduction in sea ice.
Activity Two - Detailed Example - The Alps
We are going to focus much closer to home by exploring how ski resorts in the Alps are also being forced to adapt to the warmer temperatures.
Develop a detailed example of how the Alps and specifically Chamonix is adapting to climate change and why.
No more than a A5 page of notes
Try and bullet point
Remember to include data
Image One - Mer de Glace 1919 and 2019 taken from the New Scientist
Useful Resources
New Scientist - Mer de Glace, Chamonix - Description of change
See Chamonix - Scroll down to the Chamonix section for data - Solutions - snow wrapping
Financial Times - Climate Change in The Alps - Solutions - Mitigation - snow cannons and wrapping
Exam Style Question
Examine the adaptation of the local population to the consequences of climate change in an extreme environment. [10 Marks]
This lesson was development in collaboration with Richard Allaway from geographyalltheway. For more resources please visit www.geographyalltheway.com