MGGS Geography Department Newsletter - Term 1 2021

GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT AUTUMN 2021 NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE

COP26 Conference Year Groups Year 11 & 13 Trips Sustainable swap of the month Suggested programmes

THE COP26 CONFERENCE What is COP26?

The COP26 conference is called the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, and this is the 26th iteration. The first COP meeting was held in Berlin, Germany in 1995, and was dubbed COP1. At COPs, nations come together to assess global progress towards tackling climate change.

Some years the talks rare tortuous and little progress is made. But every now and then a breakthrough is made, such as at COP21 in Paris when almost every nation in the world agreed to a new climate treaty to stop runaway climate change. UK officials are hoping COP26 will go down in history as a similarly successful meeting, delivering fresh pledges from countries to cut carbon emission further and faster than ever before.

The event is vital, as scientists said global emissions need roughly to halve by 2030 and reach “net zero” by 2050.

There is no viable pathway to net zero emissions that does not involve protecting and restoring nature on an unprecedented scale. If we are serious about holding temperature rises to 1.5 degrees and adapting to the impacts of climate change, we must change the way we look after our land and seas, and how we grow our food. This is also important if we want to protect and restore the world's biodiversity, upon which all life depends.

What has been agreed so far?

Coal A major pledge saw 190 countries, banks, and organisations agreeing to phase out coal power and end support for new coal power plants, with coal stalwarts including Vietnam, Poland and Indonesia on the list. However, one big problem is that the agreement was non-binding, while another was the absence of major coal users and miners Australia, India, the US and China. Furthermore, on closer inspection it transpired that what the countries had signed up to was very loosely defined.

Deforestation More than 100 world leaders have promised to end and reverse deforestation by 2030.

Brazil – where stretches of the Amazon rainforest have been cut down – was among the signatories. This on the surface was a stunning victory however, previous pledges on deforestation have often been ignored.

Indonesia has already questioned the terms of the deal, amid disagreements about how to define deforestation. But the latest pledge is being backed with almost £14bn of public and private funds, which should make a big difference.

Emissions While world leaders have committed collectively to limiting global warming to as close to 1.5°C as possible and “well below” 2°C, the contribution that each country will make has yet to be finalised – and the commitments that have been made so far aren’t enough, so more will be needed.

Adding these pledges would limit global warming to 1.8°C, according to a new analysis last week by the International Energy Agency.

While the 1.8°C figure was broadly greeted with enthusiasm, experts pointed out that it included pledges for net zero that have yet to be matched with pledges for the actions to achieve them. Based on the more specific nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of planned emissions cuts, the world is still on for 2.7°C of warming.

Suggested articles & videos to watch to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyiVEaIGxX7Y0KX7e8TZ3YA https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/11/whatis-cop26-and-why-does-it-matter-the-complete-guide https://ukcop26.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/COP26Explained.pdf https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51372486 https://ukcop26.org/uk-presidency/what-is-a-cop/

YEAR 13 TAKE ON NORFOLK!

STUDENT EXPERIENCES “The trip to Norfolk was so enjoyable! We managed to collect all the data we needed for our coursework as well as relax a bit and do some fun activities that brought us all together a bit more. My personal favourite activity was when we all played hide and seek in the dark on the first night as there were no other schools at the centre :) Collecting data for the coursework may sound boring, but I found it really interesting, and the people from the centre had a lot of information that was useful and interesting too. Overall, it was so much fun, and I wish we could do it again! :)” - Jess C

On September 24th 2021, 33 year 13s went on a residential trip to Norfolk, along with three of their Geography teachers, to collect data for their coursework. Over the course of the weekend, we visited Norwich, where many of us collected any human data (e.g. pedestrian & traffic counts). On Sunday, we visited 4 different beaches along the North Norfolk coastline; Cromer, Sheringham, Salthouse & West Runton, where we collected physical data. When we were back at the centre each day, we carried on writing our NEAs, & started to present the data we had collected that day on GIS (Geographical Information Systems).

Along with this hard work, we had nighttime activities, such as: NightLine an obstacle course in the woods, where everyone is blindfolded; Bouldering, Rock Climbing; & Abseiling. On the first night, Miss Sindall enjoyed joining us in a massive game of Hide & Seek around the centre! These activities were a very good opportunity to build our communication skills, & give our teachers a laugh! We would like to thank our teachers, Miss Cakebread, Miss Brown & Miss Sindall, & the staff at Kingswood for a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

“Our centre leaders, Caroline and Lucy, were very useful in collecting data and general knowledge about Norwich and the local area we explored. Norwich is a beautiful student city, bursting with culture. Once we collected our data, we were able to explore the city and take in sights such as the Market, the Lanes and Norwich's high street 'Gentleman's Walk'.

“The field trip to Norfolk was great fun. Not only did we get a lot of data collection and crucial work done for our coursework, we also had a lot of fun doing extra activities like rock climbing and spent some time just relaxing in the evenings. The atmosphere was great and it was overall a really positive experience, definitely something to look forward to. We also had a lot of freedom, for example in Norwich where we could explore the shops and local area which was great!” Natalie M

The beaches we visited all had differing management strategies, which made them interesting to study and compare.

Whilst at the beaches of Sheringham and Cromer we were able to explore and see what attracts tourists to these areas (lots of fish and chip shops!).

The activities we took part in over the weekend were so fun and the perfect way to relax after a day of working hard.

Overall although it was hard work collecting and presenting data, it was a very fun and memorable trip.” - Rachael H “The Norfolk trip was such an enjoyable experience! Aside from our fieldwork during the day, we got the opportunity to make the most of the area, particularly with the activities offered by the centre, alongside people from our year group.

The staff working with us were all so helpful, and the schedule we were provided with allowed us freedom to explore both Norwich and the beach locations, such as Sheringham. I would do the whole weekend again without hesitation!” – Anonymous

YEAR 11 GO TO WHITSTABLE AND RECULVER!

Over the course of three days, the year 11 GCSE geography cohort went to two beaches, Reculver and Whitstable. Here, they studied the two beaches to aid them in answering their enquiry question for their final exam paper. In order to compare both beaches, the students carried out many tests, such as longshore drift testing, and beach profiling.

STUDENT EXPERIENCES “At Whitstable and Reculver we were able to look and analyse coastal defences and how they’re different at the locations. Not only did we learn that the defences are a lot better at Reculver, but we also got to venture around Whitstable Harbour and had some lovely locally sourced food to eat.

It was an all-round great trip!” Lauren L

“Personally, I really enjoyed going on the school geography trip to Whitstable and Reculver. Yes it was nice of having a day to go to beaches, however I found it helpful that we could physically go to the places we would be studying for our geographical applications GCSE paper, because we could then do tests and understand how they work by completing them ourselves. This is also helpful for anyone that hasn’t been to these beaches before so that they can write about coastal defences whilst observing how they’re affecting that exact beach, not just looking at a case study.

Overall it was a nice day out with my friends, whilst also having a productive side to it.” - Jazmin K

“The trip at Reculver and Whitstable was enjoyable, and I enjoyed the Longshore Drift Experiment. However this was not the easiest test to carry out as we lost a lot of the oranges we were using! Working in groups was fun and made the day more entertaining. At Whitstable there were more people around and we got to go out at lunch to the harbour and get fish and chips. I found that although counting waves was not the most fun part of the trip, it was very relaxing and looking at these sea defences was an enjoyable trip and a nice day out.” - Liv C

Year 7 looked at what Geography is and the skills Geographers need Year 12 have been introduced to the A-Level course and have started to look at the tectonics topic and the globalization topic!

Year 11 have been studying rainforests, how they are being deforested and how we can sustainably measure this

Year 8 have been studying Population

This term we have been studying …

Year 13 are making good progress on their NEAs and have started to look at the health, human rights and intervention topic

Year 9 Asia – the physical and human geography of the continent, monsoons, the impacts of them & how the population is changing

Year 10 have been looking at the development gap – what is it? The physical, Insert Photo economic and historical causes of it, and how we can reduce the development gap

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

‘SHACKLETON’

by Ranulph Fiennes ‘Shackleton’ is an engaging new account of the adventurer, his life and his incredible leadership under the most extreme of circumstances. Written by polar adventurer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who followed in Shackleton’s footsteps, he brings his own unique insights to bear on these infamous expeditions. If you’re interested in Geography, a bit of history and adventure, this is definitely a book for you!

‘OUT OF THE THIRD WORLD’ by Ashok Sharma Another one of our recommended books this term is ‘Out of the Third World’ by Ashok Sharma. ‘Out of the Third World’ is an account from the author’s childhood as an 18-year old student from Tanzania who goes to England with the ambition of being a doctor and is faced with problems of British society and how he overcomes them with grit and determination. So if you’re after a nail biting read, this could be the one for you!

DOCUMENTARIES

VIRUNGA One of this term’s recommended documentaries is ‘Virunga’. The Netflix documentary highlights the true story of the rangers risking their lives to save Africa’s most precious national park and its endangered gorillas. It’s a gripping watch perfect for a rainy day!

MY OCTOPUS TEACHER Our favourite documentary for this term is ‘My Octopus Teacher’.

This heartwarming documentary is available on Netflix and depicts the experience of a filmmaker who forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world.

SUGGESTED QUICK READ This book consists of a collection of eleven speeches which Greta has written and presented about global warming and the climate crisis.

Greta Thunberg is a young activist who has become the voice of a generation. Her actions ended up sparking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.

“NO ONE IS TOO SMALL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE”

ONES TO WATCH

RACE ACROSS THE WORLD A competition, where five pairs of contestants participate in a race that takes them through many countries. However, there is a catch: the pairs cannot take planes, must leave behind their smartphones and credit cards, and will not have access to the internet. Provided only with the cash equivalent of their airfare from their starting destination to the finishing line, they must find innovative ways to manage their budget and conduct their journey.

SUGGESTED TALKS TED Talk: Luisa Neubauer: Why you should be a climate activist Available at www.ted.com Also available on the Royal Geographical Society: Dr Mark Wright: The state of nature - and why should we even care?

Find more free to access geographical talks at: www.rgs.org

Series 1 sees the contestants journeying from London to Singapore across Europe and Asia. Series 2 travels through South America from Mexico City to the most southerly city in the world, Ushuaia in Argentina. Both series are available to view on BBC iplayer.

SUSTAINABLE SWAP OF THE MONTH Reusable makeup pads! The average cotton pad on the market doesn’t biodegrade due to the bleaching process used when making them. Cotton itself is a high water crop (taking 101 gallons of water per pound of cotton) and with many more issues like pesticide runoff into rivers and consistent human rights violations of the industries workers, this swap is not only better for your bank account in the long term but also better for the world! Ranging from around £3 to £18, depending on the number of pads and extras (like a storage pouch), there are now many options available online and in shops for this easy sustainable swap.

Online: Best Budget Option - Etsy £5 (5 patterned pads, a patterned wash bag) Splash Out Option - LastObject £11 (7 pads, removes 1kg of plastic from the ocean, coloured case from recycled ocean plastics) In Stores: Best Budget Option - Boots £6 (2 microfiber pads, wash pouch) Splash Out Option - The Body Shop £10 (7 extra gentle pads, wash pouch, recommended with The Body Shop’s matching chamomile makeup removing oil)

COMPETITION TIME

The GA World Wise International Competition 2022 A 16 to 19-year age range Geography student competition where you apply to be part of team UK.

WORDSEARCH

Containing three main elements of a written response test, multimedia test and field work test, this competition aims to share cultures and create friendships between the 45 plus nations competing.

This year's competition is in France between the 10th to 18th of July 2022. The application deadline is the 10th of December 2021 and more information, including the application pack, can be found on the Geography Association’s website. https://www.geography.org.uk/GAWorldWise-InternationalCompetition---2022 Good Luck!