This year’s Young Geographer of the Year competition gave pupils the opportunity to explore the geography of the Arctic, and Ed Hodgson (Sc) took up the challenge, writing a 1500 word essay on aspects of climate change and economic activity in the Arctic.
His work impressed the judges and was awarded High Commended.
This year, the Society received 1,100 entries from over 260 schools. Ed’s award was one of four presented to pupils in the A level category. The awards were presented by Henry Burgess, head of the Natural Environment Research Council Arctic office, at an awards ceremony at the Society on Wednesday 28 November.
Each year the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and Geographical run a national competition for pupils aged between nine and 18, which encourages students to engage with a specific geographical topic. This year the topic focused on the Arctic. It is home to four million people, supports an abundance of uniquely adapted wildlife, and plays an important role in moderating the world’s climate system. However, the Arctic is a dynamic environment that is undergoing change. How do these changes affect the Arctic itself and the rest of the world?