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Nature & Environment
World Environment Day
We celebrate World Environment Day on 5th June every year... but that's not where our interest in the environment starts and ends, with just one day. Check out our selection of FREE courses, articles and other content related to the environment and nature that you can explore all year round...
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Society, Politics & Law
Voices from the Global South: an international field trip
The following learning is from the Geography strand in The Open University level 1 module D113 ‘Global challenges: social science in action’.
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Nature & Environment
Earth Day on OpenLearn
The first Earth Day on 22 April 1970 activated 20 million people from all walks of life to do their bit to protect our planet. More than 50 years on, it is estimated that one billion people worldwide will engage in this year’s Earth Day.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Transport and Sustainability
This free course, Transport and sustainability, explores the issues around sustainable transport and how the role of technology and society can interact to lower the overall impact of transport.
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level 1: introductory icon
Nature & Environment
An introduction to floodplain meadows
This free course, An introduction to floodplain meadows, explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions that will improve our environment. The course will help you to learn about this unique environment, increasing your ecological knowledge, developing your skills in critical reasoning, and offering you ...
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Nature & Environment
Coed trefol - a allai trefi a dinasoedd ddod yn goedwigoedd?
Ymchwilia Dr Philip Wheeler sut a reolwn goed mewn amgylcheddau trefol nawr ac ar gyfer y dyfodol
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Nature & Environment
Urban trees - could towns and cities become forests?
Dr Philip Wheeler explores how we manage trees in urban environments now and for the future.
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level 1: introductory icon
Nature & Environment
Evolutionary tree of mammals
This introduction to the evolution of mammals considers Darwin's observations on mammals and how he noticed that species fell into natural groups. This free course, Evolutionary tree of mammals, looks at evidence from fossils and DNA to examine which mammals are most closely related to whales.
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Nature & Environment
Talking turkey: 12 facts about turkey genetics
The turkey is a fascinating bird - and demands more respect than a bit of stuffing and a spot of cranberry. Ricki Lewis explains more
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Society, Politics & Law
Voices from the Global South: confronting climate coloniality
Professor Farhana Sultana delivered a keynote to launch the ‘Voices from the Global South’ project, a collaboration between the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) (with the Institute of British Geographers), the International Geographical Union and The Open University. It was held at the RGS, London in June 2024. In her keynote Professor Sultana ...
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Nature & Environment
Climate change and renewable energy
Human-induced climate change and resulting extreme weather events are an increasing and serious threat to the Earth’s ecosystems. This free course, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, describes the basic science of the greenhouse effect and how it has been modified by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels. It describes the ...
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Society, Politics & Law
Learning from the Global South
Voices from the Global South is a series of six short films made to stimulate thinking about and reflection on the difference that geography makes to understanding the climate crisis and its impact.