To Bee or Not To Bee
To Bee or Not To Bee Video A video that describes how climate change affects plants and insect pollination. This video by NASA scientist, Wayne Esaias, describes current research on impacts of climate change on pollination cycles of bees using satellite imagery. Students will learn that global warming has potentially caused changes in flowering period […]
GM Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa
GM Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa Reading A reading by John Agaba, Alliance for Science, Cornell University, that describes the importance of food security in Sub-Saharan Africa, in the face of climate change. This reading includes several examples of genetically modified crops and why they are favoured by farmers in Sub-Saharan African countries. Students will learn […]
Gene Editing in Tomato Plants
Gene Editing in Tomato Plants Video A video that describes a new gene editing technology, ‘CRISPR: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats’, which could be utilized in agricultural production in response to climate change. This video by Zachary Lippman, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), highlights his use of CRISPR gene editing in two varieties of […]
Naomi Klein on Capitalism and Climate Change
Naomi Klein on Capitalism and Climate Change Reading This reading is a comprehensive overview of how capitalism has shaped our response and reaction to climate change. This book is divided into three parts – Bad Timing, Magical thinking and Starting Anyway. Bad timing deals with how Free Market Fundamentalism, Invisible Hand and similar economic ideologies […]
Volcanic Eruptions, Climate Change, and Food Crises
Volcanic Eruptions, Climate Change, and Food Crises Video A video to learn about the link between volcanic forcing of global climate and the English food crisis of 1258. Students will learn and discuss topics in mediaeval economic history: the mega-eruption of the Samalas Volcano in Indonesia; its effects on global climate; the devastating consequences on […]
Food Security
Food Security Video A video micro-lecture to understand the topic of food security and learn about the relationship between food production and the climate. Students will learn about food security, the various dimensions of food security, the possible effects of food production on climate, and the influence of climate change on crop yields. Use this […]
Climate Change and Agriculture
Climate Change and Agriculture Reading A reading to learn about the effects of climate change on food security and to explore climate change adaptation measures to ensure food security. The modules in this reading (from the Contents) are: Climate Change Impacts on Food Security: Overview of Latest Knowledge Ensuring Food Security and Good Nutrition in […]
Climate Change and Food Security in Africa
Climate Change and Food Security in Africa Classroom/Laboratory Activity A classroom/laboratory activity to learn about suitable climatic conditions for a crop and to determine how climate change may affect food production (specifically, cocoa production). In this activity, students will learn about the relationship between climate change and food production through the case study of cocoa […]
Climate Change and Crop Pollination
Climate Change and Crop Pollination Reading A report that describes the effect of climate change on animal pollinators and crop pollination. This report from 2011 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) details the different climate variables, such as temperature, precipitation and extreme climate events that affect crop pollination. It further highlights the potential economic […]
The Locust Plague of East Africa
The Locust Plague of East Africa Reading An article titled ‘A plague of locusts has descended on East Africa. Climate change may be to blame’ by Madeleine Stone in the National Geographic that discusses the relationship between the 2019-20 desert locust swarms in East Africa and climate change. The article focuses on how rising sea […]