Geography Revision and Extended Research

 Taken from The Guardian Weekly (27th of May 2022), the United Nations Refugee Agency stated that the global number of "forcibly displaced people" has risen past the number of 100 million. Filippo Grandi, the United Nations for High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that this should be a wake up call for the world.  In 2021, the figure was at 90 million due to conflicts in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Nigeria. The figure has recently increased due to 8 million Ukrainians displaced due to the Ukrainian-Russian war.  ( The Ukrainian Week )

Taken from The Guardian Weekly 27th of May 2022: Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, a senior advisor for the World Health Organisation, said that the Monkey Pox could be contained. Public Health Authorities have reported cases in USA, Canada, Australia and nine European countries. It is said that the virus is spreading through sexual contact and case numbers are thought to increase over the summer.  (attockcitynews.com)  In Mozambique, a case of wild polio has been found in the Tete province. This is the first case since 1992 and the genetic sequencing of it seems to be similar to a strain Malawi found this year. The continent of Africa was declared free of wild polio in 2020.  (The Guardian Weekly 27th of May 2022).    Senegalese Mamou Tiang, who suffers from polio, begs for money outside a bank on a sidewalk in the capital Dakar.  Nic Bothma/EPA Africa is within reach of being declared a polio free region (theconversation.com)

 Reported in The Guardian Weekly (27th of May 2022) - the country Lithuania has asked for help from coalition countries to protect from the Russian troops or lift the blockade on Ukrainian grain exports. Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, stated "It is imperative that we show vulnerable countries we are prepared to take steps the steps that are needed to feed the world." ( Gabrielius Landsbergis apie Skvernelio pasiūlymą dėl Astravo: tai rinkiminis žaidimas - DELFI ) This links to our Year 9 issue on conflict and food security.   

 Taken from an article in The Guardian Weekly  " Storm Megi kills 148 with many missing feared dead .  The death toll from landslides and floods in the Philippines rose to the 148 last week with scores missing and feared dead, official said, as rescuers dug up more bodies with bare hands and backhoes in crushed villages.  Most of the deaths from tropical storm Megi - the strongest to hit the archipelago this year - were in the central province of Leyte, where a series of landslides devastated communities.  Megi, which made landfall on 11th April with sustained winds of up to 65 kph and gusts of upto 80 kph, has since dissipated.  The disaster-prone region is regularly ravaged by storms with scientists warning they are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of human-driven climate change." Video of Tropical Storm Megi - cyclone Megi Questions to be asked: Would the landslides have been less worse if there had been less deforestation (removal...

 Taken from The Guardian Weekly 22/4/2022 " Residues of sunscreen show up in Mediterranean seagrass Chemicals used in sunscreen lotions are accumulating in Mediterranean seagrass, a study has found.  Scientists discovered ultraviolet filters in the stems of Posidonia oceania , a seagrass species found on the coast of Mallorca and endemic to the Mediterranean Sea.  The researchers believe the contamination is the result of recreational activities and waste discharges in the tourist destination.  Varying concentrations of sunscreen components, including oxybenzone, benzylidene camphor,  and methyl parabens, were found in samples; while the full effects of the chemicals are unknown, the researchers are concerned about potential harmful effects." Questions to ask: What is meant by the term "endemic"? Why should we worry about contaminated seagrass, it's only at the bottom of the food chain? Have you heard about the Osprey and a pesticide called DDT?

 Dear Year 11,  (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Wheelabrator_Waste-to-Energy_Plant%2C_Saugus_MA.jpg) A Waste to Energy Incinerator Please look at the following videos that summarises the pre-release material.  Video by Mr. B.   A video of drone footage of Waterbeach, the village to the SSE (South South East) of the planned incinerator, and surrounding area.  I will also be posting my suggestions for the questions and the answers below. Mr. B. suggests three potential questions in his video - these are the nine mark long questions: 1) The incineration plant is a sustainable solution for dealing with present and future waste needs. - Discuss this statement referring to figure 3. (9) 2) Using figure 3 and and the waste hierarchy, justify your position on the government's decision to reject the proposed incineration plant. (9) 3) In 2020, the government rejected the proposed incineration plant near Waterbeach. To what extent do you agree with th...

 Natural hazards are sudden, severe events that make the natural environment difficult to manage. They are natural processes of the planet (be it atmospheric , flooding  or geological ) but since they disrupt human life  and have huge economic  and social impacts they become natural hazards .  Atmospheric hazards include: Blizzards, Droughts, Heatwaves, Lightning & Tornadoes.  Flooding hazards include: Glacial bursts & Storm Surges  Geological hazards include: Earthquakes, Landslides, Sink Holes & Volcanic Eruptions Atmospheric combined with Flooding include: Snow Storms, Thunder Storms & Tropical Storms Flooding combined with Geological include:  Avalanches & Tsunamis Geological combined with Atmospheric include: Ash or Pyroclastic Clouds Hazards that combine Atmospheric , Flooding and Geological are mud flows or lahars Hazard risk = the chance of being affected by a natural hazard e.g. the residents of New Orlean...