Category
Topic updates
Problems of governance in mega-cities
Mexico City has one federal, two state and 76 municipal governments, each with overlapping responsibilities.
Water in the Anthropocene
Here is a 3 minute video (from 2013) charting the global impact of humans on the water cycle.
Changing Places - Britain's Evolving Industrial Map
Here is a major new analysis from economic geographers at the LSE on the changing geography of industry in the UK. It identifies a small number of high productivity hubs - Britain needs more to...
When the new Resource Frontier is on the sea bed 2km below the surface
As global demand for key mineral resources increases, the search for new resource locations intensifies. The latest resource frontier to be exploited looks like it will be via robot machines...
Urban Farms and Vertical Farming
Some articles and short videos on the growth of urban farming and vertical farming.
Climate Change, Water and the Economy
By 2050, the effects of climate change + water scarcity could spark conflict and spur unprecedented levels of migration.
The rebirth of Belize's coral reefs
A hugely positive story here reported in the Guardian about the renewal of coral reefs in southern Belize - a natural resource that was under severe stress because of the fast-growing tourism...
Lagos - The City that Won't Stop Growing
Here is an in-depth photojournalism report on the unrelenting growth of Lagos. An exceptional resource for geography teachers.
Australia's town built on gold
The Financial Times visits Kalgoorlie, a town in Western Australia that is home to the Super Pit - a huge operation to mine gold. Is the resource boom over for Australia? Probably not especially...
Making cities work for all
Here is an OECD report on strategies to help cities become inequality traps. Household incomes are on average 18% higher in cities than elsewhere but not all cities in advanced countries have...
Causes and effects of desertification
A link here to a comprehensive background article on the causes and effects of desertification.
Explaining The Global Shortage of Sand Reserves
A terrific video here to use with students as they explore resource security.
Could ultimate bogs help save the planet?
Yes according to this article from the Guardian which visits the Marcell Experimental Forest in the USA
How Many Hours of Sunlight Could Power the World for a Year?
An intriguing question - how many hours of sunlight would be needed to power the world for a year, if we could capture all that hits the Earth.
Renewables on the Rise in Sub Saharan Africa
With each passing day we see fresh evidence of the growing scale of investment into renewable energy in Sub Saharan Africa.
Glaeser on Making Mega Cities Work
Professor Ed Glaeser outlines five key lessons for policymakers in developing countries who want to implement effective urban policies in this short interview from the Make Cities Work initiative...
The reality of urban change for a community's sense of place in an inner city location.
Regeneration of older, run-down inner-city neighbourhoods is often portrayed as an improvement upon what went before. This community in Seattle is clear about what they'll lose as their 'place'...
Most Powerful Earthquakes in History
Data produced by the US Geological Survey and reported in the Guardian finds that the 1960 Valdivia earthquake is the most powerful ever recorded with a magnitude of about 9.5. More recent events...
The global impact of the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history: The Year without Summer.
In 1815, the year of the Battle of Waterloo, another event was occurring half way around the globe with a world-wide impact that would last for decades. In the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Mount...
Drought conditions in the Alta Guajira region of Colombia
Three years of no rainfall have created a struggle for the 200 inhabitants.