If you have been dipping in to the 'other' blog occasionally (www.gmpay.blogspot.com), you will be aware that a high percentage of postings there relate to climate change and global warming. This reflects the huge amount of media coverage which the topic is generating at present. As you know, the Higher course, as it stands at present, only requires us to examine the causes of climate change. In the external exam you will not be asked about consequences and solutions.... arguably more important issues these days. We musn't lose sight of the fact that whatever the causes of climate change may be, it is having increasingly profound effects on our world and the lives of people. There was an interesting article on the BBC website yesterday which explored these ideas...
(click image to link)Andean glaciers are retreating - no surprises there - even the speed of retreat is only paralleling what is being seen in other tropical glacial environments but the article goes on to explore what it describes as a future 'boom and bust' scenario for populations living near to those glaciers. As the glaciers melt, the potential for harnessing the meltwater to produce HEP and irrigation water will be enormous. Local people will become temporarily dependent on it but when the glaciers are gone, so too will be the water........
