The sea is incredibly good at storing heat. So good, that just the top three metres of the ocean contain as much heat as the entire atmosphere. The ocean’s ability to accumulate, transport and slowly release the energy it receives from the Sun makes it…
The urban heat island effect is a phenomenon that leads to temperatures in cities often being higher than those in surrounding rural areas. This effect is amplified during heatwaves. As the world becomes more urbanised, and heatwaves become more likely due to climate change, building…
Global warming is causing polar ice sheets and glaciers to melt, adding more water to the oceans. Warming water also expands, causing the height of the sea’s surface to rise. The combination of high tides, sea level rise and storm waves endanger the survival of…
This book and teacher’s notes were produced by an interdisciplinary team at the University of the West of England, Bristol as part of the NERC-funded DRY (Drought Risk and You project). The book received a Silver Publishers’ Award from the UK Geographical Association (see link…
The layer of ozone high up in the stratosphere is our main defence against the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. But ozone is also a powerful greenhouse gas and ozone at ground level is a hazard to health. The Montreal Protocol to reduce the use of ozone-destroying…
We all depend on the freshwater that cycles through the water cycle for hygiene and industry as well as for drinking and growing our food. Global warming changes the water cycle in complex ways that vary from place to place around the world. This printable…
Satellites offer a unique global perspective on the Earth’s climate. Earth observation satellites take daily images that reveal a wealth of detail about our changing planet and we now have over three decades of observations describing some of the most important climate variables. These are…
We share our planet with millions of other living species. Earth’s biosphere is undergoing rapid changes that have an impact on the natural cycles that control climate, as well as more immediate effects on living things. Global warming, wildfires, deforestation and other human activities, trigger…
Water Cycles, Soundscapes and a Climate Change Ceilidh is an interdisciplinary resource that explores the water cycle and climate change through music, dance, embodied and outdoor learning. It involves the creation of soundscapes by using recycled materials and being in the outdoors, and the creation…
Navigators have been attempting to travel the famous Northwest Passage between mainland Canada and its islands for centuries but few have succeeded. The loss of Arctic ice as a result of global warming may allow ships to use this route more frequently. But the opening…