Overview

The impact of climate change and the toll of environmental degradation manifest in many ways across the globe – aggravating inequity between countries and within them. These reports examine specific climate and environment situations and attempt to find some of the most intriguing solutions. Reporting on these visible manifestations from far away places brings both the problems and solutions of frequently intangible crises to the forefront.

These four stories covers a wide range of geography, and they all deal with issues of climate extremes. Watch the stories and answer the questions in the assignment to receive credit.

Videos

The toll from extreme weather has devastated vast regions of sub-Saharan Africa, suffering from the worst drought conditions on record—and a food crisis that ranges from severe to catastrophic. This report looks at one effort to help farmers cope with weather that’s widely predicted to remain unpredictable. This story highlights one group’s effort to help farmers adapt to the changing climate.

Research published last year in the journal of “Scientific Reports” shows the massive Himalayan glaciers have shrunk 10 times faster over the past four decades than during the previous seven centuries. This threatens agriculture and the water supply for millions of people across South Asia. Sonam Wangchuk, a local educator and environmentalist, came up with one simple solution called ice stupas that helps mitigate the disaster.

From the foothills of the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, some 400 million people, on farms, in factories and in households, rely on the sacred Ganges for life, livelihood and spiritual sustenance. But it’s also one of the world’s most polluted rivers. This story explores how the cultural sanctity of the river can be an unprecedented barrier to mass cleanup movements.

It’s been 25 years since South Africa dismantled apartheid, and while political progress has occurred, the young democracy continues to face hurdles. In recent years, extreme drought pushed the country to the brink of disaster, and although rainfall finally mitigated the situation, persistent water shortages are now a part of daily life. This story explores how climate change and the legacy of apartheid impact water access today.