Man and Climate

The first chapter of this DVD deals with the population development over the past 3000 years and the associated dramatic effects on nature. The massive deforestation and the fast-increasing water consumption are analysed as two examples for the consumption of our resources. The dependency of the regeneration of our water supplies on climatic conditions clearly illustrates the close link between humans and the climate. But what exactly is the climate and how is it determined? This question is discussed in detail in the second chapter. A look back into the past helps us in addressing current questions. The warm High Middle Ages and the following Little Ice Age as well as plant remains, e.g. the annual rings of trees, or animal finds such as dinosaur skeletons allow us to draw conclusions regarding climatic conditions. Will we meet the same fate as the dinosaurs? In the fourth chapter, we visit the climate data processing centre at the MPI. Significant climate changes are predicted in model calculations for the next 100 years. This leads to further important questions: Do we need to act? If yes, when and on what scale? Especially with this last chapter, the pupils are encouraged to recognise their own responsibility in order to shape the future of all of us.

• Article no.: 4657329
• Targetgroups: Sek II
• Length: 31:25 min
• Languages: