Topic 6: Extreme Climates
What are the challenges of extreme climates?
Key Ideas
Extreme climates are located in polar regions and
hot arid areas; each has key physical
characteristics.
Content
Investigate the climate of polar and
hot arid areas, including precipitation,
temperature range, seasonality and
variability.
Examine why these are fragile environments and
how flora and fauna are successfully adapted to
the chosen climate, but are also vulnerable to
change.
People adapt to the challenges of extreme
climates in a variety of ways.
Investigating the adaptations people make in one
named extreme polar or hot arid climate, such as
farming methods, building styles, clothing,
transport, energy use.
What you need to understand
 To understand the location of Polar
Regions / hot arid regions
 Know some general characteristics of a
polar area or hot arid region.
 To be able to read a climate graph
showing temperature and precipitation
(remember bars = rainfall, line =
temperature)
 To be able to describe the climate of a
polar region and hot arid regions i.e.
cold temperatures and little
precipitation or a hot arid regions e.g.
high temperatures, low precipitation.
 Learn some specific data about climate
e.g. -89°C recoded in Antarctica / 58°C
was once recorded in North Sahara
 To know why these environments are
considered fragile.
 To understand how vegetation has
adapted to polar environments.
 To understand, with examples, how
animals have adapted to polar
environment or arid regions
 To know that solifluction and bursting
lakes can put both flora and fauna at
risk in polar regions, or desertification
can put pressure on flora and fauna in
hot arid regions
 To understand how people have adapted
to living in a polar climate with specific
reference to buildings, transport,
farming, clothing and energy use. Be
able to refer to a specific place.
Examine the culture and uniqueness of
peoples living in extreme environments
and the value of this culture to others.
How can extreme environments be managed and protected from the threats they
face?
Extreme climates are under threat from a range
Investigating the threats to people and natural
of processes, which include climate change.
systems in one named polar or hot arid extreme
climate area, such as cultural dilution through
tourism, pollution though resource exploitation,
and land degradation through poor land
management.
Investigate how climate change could threaten
natural systems, including melting of
permafrost, loss of sea ice, desertification and
species migration and the impact of these on
traditional economies.

To learn some unique cultures e.g.
Inupiat whaling ceremony or ‘rotten
shark’ in Iceland or Aboriginal Culture in
Australia.

To understand there are many threats
to people living in polar climates e.g.
cultural dilution in Alaska and loss of
language.
To understand that the environment is
also under threat e.g. oil spill in Alaska
and land degradation due to damage of
permafrost.
To understand that climate change is
having a huge impact in areas of
extreme climate.
To learn some impacts of climate change
on people e.g. Yup’ik people in Alaska =
‘global warming refugees’ as can no
longer fish, or loss of tourism in
Greenland and the economic impact on
the community.
To understand the impact of climate
change on the environment e.g. glacier
retreat, loss of ice and polar bears.
To know that local actions can be used
for more sustainable management of
extreme environments e.g. geothermal
power in Iceland.
To know why geothermal power is an
example intermediate technology.
To know that global action is being
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Sustainable management
is needed locally and
globally, if extreme
environments are to
survive.
Assess a range of local actions, e.g. intermediate
technology and adaptation to changing climates,
and assess their effectiveness in achieving a
sustainable future for local communities.
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Assessing the role of global actions to protect

extreme environments from the threat of climate
change.
taken to protect extreme environments
e.g. Antarctica Treaty, US polar bears
being placed on endangered species list.