In pictures - Indonesian tsunami

Rescuers work to free people trapped in rubble following the violent earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi, Indonesia (Image credit: Reuters)

>> Find out the names of the plates and type of plate boundary on which this part of Indonesia sits

News in brief - 29th/30th September

Indonesian earthquake and tsunami
Over 800 people have been killed and many more are injured or missing after an earthquake and subsequent tsunami swamped the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia; a 7.5 magnitude earthquake triggered the surge of water that swept inland affecting the city of Palu and many other towns and villages, where the search and rescue mission still continues

Owls in decline
The general public have been asked to listen out for the sound of owls in their back garden, park or any green space over the next six months to help get an idea of their distribution; it is thought that light pollution and urbanisation are having a negative impact on population numbers

National Get Outside Day
Today is the UK's National 'Get Outside Day', a day that tries to raise awareness of the increasing trend of people to be inactive and not make the most of local green spaces; events are being held across the country for people to join in with walks in the fresh air and countryside, and increase their physical and mental well being as a result of engaging with nature

In pictures - Greenland's icebergs

Chunks of ice broken off from giant glaciers float in Greenland's freezing waters (Image credit: Annie Spratt)

>> Discuss: why is this happening more often and what might the impacts be on wildlife?

News in brief - Friday 28th September

Killer whales under threat
Chemical pollution from all kinds of products and industries is leaching into the oceans and putting killer whale populations at risk; as top predators, the amounts of these chemicals in killer whales is high as it bioaccumulates through the food chain, meaning that the outlook over the next 30-50 years will be grim

The problem of nuclear waste
The Lake District is currently being considered as a potential nuclear waste burial site; the proximity to Sellafield makes it a good candidate, although the idea faces extreme opposition from the tourist industry, conservationists, and those who live there

'Medicane' about to make landfall
A powerful storm known as a 'Medicane' (Mediterranean + hurricane) is building in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy and Greece; this type of storm happens about 1-2 times a year when water temperatures are still warm and brings threats of heavy rain and flash flooding

In pictures - plastic pollution

Plastic bottle afloat in the Adriatic Sea; this image captures the damage done by both plastic usage and tourism in this area (Image credit: Reuters)

>> Print or sketch this picture and brainstorm different ways in which we could reduce our plastic waste

News in brief - Thursday 27th September

Anti-fracking protesters jailed
Three protestors have been sent to prison for staging an anti-fracking protest at a site near Blackpool in July 2017; the climbed onto lorries that were bringing drilling equipment to the site in order to prevent any fracking work being carried out as they believed this would only contribute more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere causing climate change

Air pollution at London's new cruise ship terminal
Campaigners are concerned that a huge new cruise ship terminal in London could significantly add to air pollution already in the city; if it were to go ahead, it would receive 55 cruise ships a year who would dock without turning their engines off, contributing the same amount of nitrogen oxide as 700 continuously running lorries

Climate changing affecting Brazil's harvests

The World Wildlife Fund has reported that intense droughts and changes to rainfall patterns are affecting Brazil's ability to grow and harvest Brazil nuts; instead, the Açaí berry (popular as a new healthy super food) which can handle drier conditions may become the more popular crop and replace the Brazil nut as a source of income

National Refill Day
National Refill Day is a day all about raising awareness of our wasteful use of plastic, particularly water bottles; this plastic can often end up in our oceans causing problems for wildlife and damaging ecosystems

In pictures - traffic in China

Traffic jam at the end of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in Zhengzhou, China (Image credit: Reuters)

>> Research: find out about this festival and why there was so much traffic afterwards

News in brief - Wednesday 26th September

Saving the world's coral reefs
Scientists in Florida area creating coral nurseries to help grow new coral in controlled conditions; this coral would then become replanted on old reefs that have died due to changes in temperature caused by climate change

Activity at China's coal-fired power stations
Green campaigners at Coalswarm have reported that building work has restarted at a number of coal-fired power stations in China; this move will make it even harder for China to keep to its carbon dioxide emissions targets and will make the global fight against climate change even more difficult

Solar power in India
The area of Pavagada in India has one of the biggest solar farms in the world (5,000 hectares in size); this will help it to reach its target of having 40% of its energy coming from clean sources, as stated in the Paris Climate Change Agreement

In pictures - Northern Lights

The Northern Lights over Tromso, Norway; the aurora has been particularly active recently with clear skies helping visibility (Image credit: Lorenzo Ragazzi via nature_org)

>> Research: what are the Northern Lights and how do they happen?

News in brief - Tuesday 25th September

Beluga in the Thames
A beluga whale has been spotted swimming in the Thames today, about 1,000 miles off its usual habitat in the Arctic; it is thought it may have got lost due to recent storms and changes in weather patterns

Ancient mosses dying in the Antarctic
The Nature Climate Change Journal has described how Antarctic mosses are severely under threat from climate change; recent research has observed how these mosses are changing from their natural green colour to red (indicating high stress) to a final grey (indicating they are dying)

Protecting the oceans
The UK will call for global leaders to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030 in a UN General Assembly this week; it wants to designate 30% of the world's oceans as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to reverse damage done by fishing, climate change, and plastic pollution

Sinkhole on Queensland beach
A landslip near Rainbow Beach in Queensland appeared on Monday morning caused by waves and undercurrents in the water; luckily, no-one was hurt unlike a similar incident that happened a few years ago where a caravan, tent and car were swallowed into the ground

Editor's pick - where's safe to live in the US?

Oliver Milman (The Guardian) writes about the difficulties of living in some parts of the US due to extreme weather linked to climate change. What kinds of problems are people facing, and where should they move to in order to live safely?

In pictures - Indonesian volcano

The Indonesian volcano Anak Krakatau began erupting at the weekend and locals and tourists have been advised to stay away (Image credit: Reuters)

>> Discuss: what might the impact of this eruption be on the land and on people?

News in brief - Monday 24th September

America's climate refugees
Increasing rains, storms and floods in the USA is forcing people to consider moving permanently away from their homes; the worsening weather brought on by climate change may result in 13 million people moving by the end of the century

Organic farming in India
Farmers in the state of Sikkim (India) have trialled a chemical-free method of farming in order to reduce the amount of pesticides getting into the soil, air, water, and potentially causing harm to people as well as the ecosystem; after some initial poor harvest, the crops are now thriving and the area is experiencing a significant rise in tourism

Decline of the small tortoiseshell butterfly
It is feared that, despite the unusual summer heatwave, the number of small tortoiseshell butterflies is still decreasing; it is thought it could be yet another symptom of climate change or use of pesticides on the land

In pictures - World Rhino Day

22nd September is World Rhino Day; rhino's are still on the world's critically endangered animals list, with less than 100 of some species left (Image credit: Frans Lanting)

>> Research - why are rhinos at risk of extinction?

News in brief - 22nd/23rd September

War against plastic packaging
The supermarket chain Lidl is planning to remove black plastic packaging from all of its products by the end of the month, and ultimately wants to make all of its packaging either 100% recyclable or remove it completely; this is part of a wider issue around packaging and recycling, as the government is currently reconsidering how it recycles different types of plastic in England

Walk for Wildlife
Chris Packham's 'Walk for Wildlife' demonstration was a real success yesterday as he and several thousand others walked to Whitehall with a draft manifesto on ways to protect Britain's wildlife; the manifesto addresses a number of controversial issues including fox hunting and fracking

Germany's hydrogen powered trains
This week, Germany showcased its first hydrogen powered trains, which can run up to 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen and reach top speeds of 140kmh; new research is finding ways of making hydrogen use more efficient and therefore more cost-effective, although initial outlay is still expensive

North Carolina flood fears
After coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, residents of North Carolina are now facing fresh fears of renewed flooding as water levels are reported to be rising in local rivers; this brings further concerns of contamination as the rivers run close to coal-burning power plants

Editor's pick - a sea wall to save our glaciers?

Fiona Harvey (The Guardian) writes about how scientists believe that building underwater sea walls at the bases of glaciers could help to slow the rate of melting and sea level rise. But what do you think?

In pictures - flooding in the Netherlands

Repeated flooding of the Rhine delta in the Netherlands is forcing the area to become abandoned and left as a nature reserve (Image credit: George Steinmetz)

>> Discuss: what are the positives and negatives of this 'do nothing' strategy?

News in brief - Friday 21st September

Storm Bronagh
The next named storm is set to hit the UK causing flooding and travel disruption; heavy rainfall and high winds have already affected parts of England and Wales, with flash floods and high flood alerts in many areas

Lake Victoria Disaster
An overloaded ferry on Lake Victoria (Tanzania) has capsized as crowds moved from one side of the boat to another as it docked; 86 people have drowned but it is feared that up to 200 people may have died

Save the rainforest
Greenpeace have renewed their pleas to global brands who use palm oil in their products, asking them to only buy palm oil from sustainable sources; Greenpeace stated in their recent report that 25 palm oil producing groups have destroyed more than 130,000 hectares of rainforest since 2015

A solution to glacial melting?
A report from the European Geosciences Union has suggested that building walls on the sea floor may halt the slide of undersea glaciers, slowing the rate of sea level rise; it would also help to prevent warmer sea waters reaching the cold bases of the glaciers, thereby also slowing melting rates

In pictures - China's floating solar farm

A giant floating solar power plant sits on a man-made lake over a collapsed coal mine (Image credit: Sungrow power)

>> Discuss: do you think this kind of power can be used everywhere in the world?

News in brief - Thursday 20th September

Storm Ali clear-up
Nearly 10,000 homes are still without power after Storm Ali swept across N. Ireland yesterday; a number of roads are still closed due to fallen trees, debris or power cables causing a danger to travellers

Race to reach vehicles emissions targets
In order to meet the Paris Agreement's climate change targets, it is reckoned that the last new petrol and diesel car sales in Europe must happen before 2030; there must then be a greater push on sales of low-emissions vehicles as well as encouragement for people to walk, cycle, and use public transport to get around

Landslides in the Philippines
A landslide in Cebu has buried 24 homes and rescuers are frantically trying to find and pull out survivors; the city was not directly hit by Typhoon Mangkhut but the whole area has received a high amount of rainfall in recent days, loosening the ground

Strawberry needles forever?
Tonnes of strawberries (as well as other fruits) are now going to waste in Australia after several incidences of needles being hidden in the fruit occurred across the country; strawberry growers are concerned about losing income (the strawberry industry is worth A$130 million a year) as well as there being large amounts of unnecessary food waste

Focus: how are storm names chosen?

Storm Ali is set to sweep across the UK today bringing high winds and heavy rainfall. Over the past few weeks, there have been several other major storms across the world, including Hurricane Florence in the USA and Typhoon Mangkhut in Asia. But why are these storms named, and how? 

In the 1970s, the US National Hurricane Centre developed a system of naming storms. The system followed an alphabetical sequence with alternate male/female names.  

2018 UK storm names (Image credit: Met Office)

The idea is that applying a name to a storm helps to raise public awareness and prompt people to take action, such as checking their house or property for any loose items, visiting young or elderly neighbours, and keeping livestock safe. 

Storm names also help to identify and distinguish different storm systems before they become a significant storm and make landfall.

The lists of names in the UK are chosen each year based on suggestions from the public, which includ some of the most popular names as well as a more diverse range of names to represent the different cultures, backgrounds and countries within the UK. The convention requires that Q, U, X, Y and Z are not used.

A long list of 21 names is therefore compiled in readiness for each season, but with Storm Ali arriving today, how long will it be before Bronagh, Callum, and Deirdre are on their way…?

>> Can you make a list of your own storm names?

In pictures - Storm Ali

Strong waves created by Storm Ali strike the welsh coast (Image credit: Sky News)

>> What problems could be created as a result of this storm?

News in brief - Wednesday 19th September

Storm Ali
The met office has issued an amber 'be prepared' warning at Storm Ali begins to sweep across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England; 80mph winds are expected causing some public areas to be closed and travel to be disrupted

Saving the UK's wildlife
Presenter Chris Packham has written a document called 'People's Manifesto for Wildlife', which calls for more to be done to protect the UK's wildlife; some of the measures called for include replanting hedgerows, creating wildlife ponds in industrial estates, and - controversially - banning dogs from nature reserves

Famine in the Yemen
Ongoing conflict in the Yemen has resulted in rising food prices; combined with a fall in the value of Yemeni currency, it is now estimated that 5.2 million children in the Yemen now face famine

Spread of microplastics
A study has shown that plastic can now escape from polluted water into the sky via flying insects; mosquito larvae were fed micro plastics which were found to remain inside them as they transformed into flying adults 

In pictures - Typhoon Ompong

Satellite image of Typhoon Ompong before it made landfall in the Philippines (Image credit: earth.nullschool.net)

>> Make a sketch of this image and label the following: 1) The Philippines, 2) the hurricane's eye, 3) the fastest wind speeds, 4) the direction of the wind (use an arrow), 5) add a compass

News in brief - Tuesday 18th September

Storm Ali
Scotland is preparing for high winds and building damage as Storm Ali - the first named storm of the season - approaches land; there are warnings of coastal flooding and travel disruption

Air pollution
A recent study has shown that students walking to school inhale a concerning amount of black carbon pollution from passing vehicles and traffic; this could cause health issues if these particles lodge in the lungs, heart or brain

Hurricane Florence
As the storm abates, alarming statistics are beginning to come to light; the total death toll now stands at 31 people, and the cost of damage is around $20billion (£13bn), making it one of the costliest hurricanes on record

Typhoon Ompong
At least 74 people have now been confirmed dead in the Philippines after the Typhoon swept through the islands with wind speeds of around 125mph; over 105,000 people have been evacuated from the homes and 5.7 million people have been affected across the nation

In pictures - North Carolina

North Carolina - wreckage left in the wake of Hurricane Florence (Image credit: Reuters)

>> Think of five headlines or captions to accompany this image 

News in brief - Monday 17th September

Brexit
Pressure on Theresa May to make an agreement with the EU is mounting with only 6 months to go until the UK leaves Brexit; the terms of the agreement will be crucial with regards to the movement of people and goods in and out of Europe

Storm Helene 
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for parts of Wales as ex-hurricane Helene approaches with wind speeds of 50mph; people have been warned to be vigilant particularly by the coast

Hurricane Florence
Record levels of rainfall are still bringing chaos and devastation to parts of eastern USA; more than 30 inches of rain have fallen in North Carolina and about 800,000 people are still without power

Typhoon Mangkhut
Another Typhoon is racing into China, causing Macau to close down and hundreds of flights to be cancelled; people are being advised to stay indoors

Comment: can our world cope with increasing numbers of natural disasters?

Despite rapid economic growth, some of our most developed nations are struggling to cope with the realities of climate change and the impacts of increasing numbers of natural disasters. 

Chaos after Typhoon Jebi (Image credit: EPA)

Japan is a recent example that has dominated the headlines after experiencing a series of natural disasters.  Although it has become one of the top ten wealthiest nations, it remains a victim of the horrifying impacts of torrential rainstorms, a devastating typhoon, and yet another disastrous earthquake on account of the fact it sits precariously on the Pacific Ring of Fire (a plate boundary around the Pacific Plate).

On 4th September 2018, Typhoon Jebi hit the outer islands of Japan with wind speeds of around 175mph.  Air and land travel was severely disrupted with thousands of people stranded and tankers beached on harbor walls. This chaos and loss of life was further compounded by an 6.7 magnitude earthquake that followed just days later, causing landslides that buried houses and caused power cuts due to the weakened ground collapsing after the torrential rains and tropical storm winds.

These natural disasters are seemingly unavoidable, but the question remains as to whether a developed country like Japan should be better prepared to mitigate and respond to the impacts it faces.  After all, there are around 14 significant tropical storms in the Pacific Ocean every year, and Japan experiences around 1,500 tremors and earthquakes annually.  Is the developed world struggling to implement what is has learnt from previous lessons? Or perhaps the scale of natural disasters (especially when they follow one after another) is now too much to cope with? 

As the US enters its hurricane season, over 1 million people have been ordered to evacuate their homes on the east coast and head inland.  Is this yet another example of a developed nation unable to cope with the force of Mother Nature? 

Some might argue that we simply have to do what we can.  Others may consider the extent to which we are now simply dealing with the consequences of years of human abuse of resources such a fossil fuels, which has contributed to the global warming that is now fuelling our super storms.  

Can we rely on our wealth and experience to save us?  Or will we simply have to hold tight and weather the storm?

>> Discuss: To what extent can High Income Countries (HICs) cope with the increasing number of natural disasters?
>> Explain: Describe and explain different strategies that countries can use to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters
>> Explore: in groups, gather information for the following interest groups (The World Bank, governments, scientists, emergency services, local residents) and debate the role of each group in preparing for and reacting to natural disasters

This week's important dates

Tuesday 18th - Water Monitoring Day

Friday 21st - International Day of Peace

Saturday 22nd - World Rhino Day and World Car Free Day