Volcanic responses to glacial change by Dr. Iestyn Barr

Last night's final lecture of the year for our 2024/2025 programme was a masterclass in synopticity for our A-Level students. MMU's Dr. Iestyn Bar spoke passionately about his love for ice and passion for researching the interactions between glaciers and volcanic hazards. 

By exemplifying through Eyjafjallajökull 2010, Mount St. Helens 1980 and Nevado Del Ruiz 1985, Iestyn showed how these national- and international-scale volcanic eruptions were worsened and their impacts intensified by the presence of ice and glaciers atop the volcanoes. 

Below are resources quoted by Iestyn during tonight's lecture for student and staff use: 

The Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program - https://volcano.si.edu/

New Scientist report on glacier shrinkage - https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469212-the-worlds-glaciers-have-shrunk-more-than-5-per-cent-since-2000/#:~:text=Glaciers%20worldwide%20have%20shrunk%20by%20more%20than%205,the%20past%20decade%20as%20climate%20change%20continues%20apace.

Taylor et al. (2023) Glacial lake outburst floods threaten millions globally - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36033-x

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 6th report - https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/

Reinthaler (2019) Area changes of glaciers on active volcanoes in Latin America using satellite imaging - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology/article/area-changes-of-glaciers-on-active-volcanoes-in-latin-america-between-1986-and-2015-observed-from-multitemporal-satellite-imagery/99178DD00E13C9E7354BEBEA48AF85F4

Is Manchester 'climate ready'? Dr Paul O'Hare

With references to GCSE content of flooding and storm preparedness and A-Level concepts of the Park Model, risk and vulnerability, Paul's fantastic lecture made us really think about how ready (or not?) we are for the changing climate, especially in Manchester and with contemporary disasters such as LA wildfires and New Years Day flooding. 

Paul highlighted the need to 'take the naturalness out of natural disasters' as extreme physical phenomena meets increasingly vulnerable human populations, and the increased recognition required for climate (in)justice; those most vulnerable to climate change, the least able to respond, have contributed least to the drivers of a changing climate. 

Below are resources quoted by Paul during tonight's lecture for student and staff use: 

Climate Change Committee publications - https://www.theccc.org.uk/publications/

Manchester Climate Pack - https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/binaries/content/assets/metofficegovuk/pdf/research/spf/manchester-city-pack_august-2022.pdf

All UK Urban Climate Packs - https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/approach/collaboration/spf/ukcrp-outputs

Local Authority Climate Service (LACS) - https://climatedataportal.metoffice.gov.uk/pages/lacs

A framework for understanding hazards and vulnerability in Manchester - https://www.mmu.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-09/Manchester%20Climate%20Risk%20Framework.pdf

UK Climate Risk reports - https://www.ukclimaterisk.org/publications/

Rochdale Flood Poverty Report - https://nationalfloodforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Rochdale_Flood_Poverty_Report.pdf

Samwinga, Proverbs and Homan (2004) Exploring the experience of insured UK homeowners in flood disasters  - https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/3231/1/Samwinga%2C%20V.%2C%20Proverbs%2C%20D.%20G.%20and%20Homan%2C%20J.%20%282004%29%20Exploring%20the%20experience%20of%20insured%20UK%20homeowners%20in%20flood%20disasters.pdf

Urban Heat Risk in Manchester - https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/05808279555f42df99aad9a1cc180257

Manchester Climate Ready website - https://www.manchesterclimateready.com/

Next event..... Lecture "Is Manchester 'climate ready'? Risk, Vulnerability and Adaption in an era of uncertainty.

 

Next event.... Worldwise Quiz

 We are looking forward to welcoming teams to the Worldwise quiz on Wednesday 3 December! Good luck to all particpants.

Made in Manchester

Another really well attended and successful lecture given by Brian Groom about his book 'Made in Manchester' 

Free Resources from British Red Cross

After this past summer’s heatwaves, recent flooding events across the UK and all the stories in the news about climate change, it's no surprise young people are feeling more anxious about the future. Weather Together is a free climate change teaching resource created by the British Red Cross. It equips learners aged 10-16 with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively prepare for and cope with the challenges of extreme weather in the UK, covering three main topics:  Eco-anxiety   Flooding  Heatwaves  All the activities are aligned with the curriculum and ready to be easily integrated into your lessons. Easy-to-use PowerPoints are packed with interactive activities, quizzes and videos.

DOWNLOAD FREE CLIMATE RESOURCES

With COP29, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, now underway there’s no better time to integrate the important topic of climate change into your lessons this term. Weather Together is structured in a way that you can easily select the activities that best suit your learners across the three main topics of flooding, heatwaves and eco-anxiety.

The British Red Cross is grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for raising funds that help us deliver this amazing teaching resource for young people.   Read what teachers have said about our Weather Together toolkit:

Next lecture - 14 November Made in Manchester

 The next lecture will be Made in Manchester by Brian Groom.  

Manchester Metropolitan University, Brooks Building, Lecture Theatre 3, 5.15pm.

World Wise Quiz Wednesday 4 December

Dear Colleagues 

This year's Worldwise Quiz will be held in the Brooks Building of Manchester Metropolitan University on Wednesday 4th December. Teams comprise three students from Year 8 to Year 11 (your choice) and the quiz is made up of about seven rounds of geography general knowledge covering topics such as mapwork, weather and climate, capital cities, etc. The Committee have decided to charge an admission fee of £10 per team this year. If you wish to register a team, please complete this Google Form with your school details. https://forms.gle/DLHVxKsJRti7SgoF6  

You can send the names of your team nearer the time.

The bank details to send the registration fee are: 

Account name - Geographical Association Manchester Branch 

Sort Code - 010978 

Account number - 04559029 

If you need any further information, please get in touch. 

Best wishes 

Sue Lomas (sueguides@hotmail.co.uk)

Calendar of events

 Calendar of events 

First lecture of new academic year

 Thank you to Dr Kathryn Adamson for her lecture on "From Microbes to mountains, glaciers and global climate change".  So interesting and made us all think!