Thank you to all parents/carers, students and the local community for supporting the first John Masefield Climate Change Conference on 18 November. The Conference was opened by Millie McCarthy and ended with Hester Wilder and refreshments. Dr Des McDougall illustrated the current glacial extent, focusing on the Alps and explained that the current glacial extent does not follow the expected natural climatic variations. He linked the causes to the Co2 concentrations in the atmosphere, which are unprecedented. He showed the complexity of the glacial and inter glacial patterns and noted that the current melting was revealing further, more accurate indicators of previous climates. These show that climate has been warmer, as trees are being released from the bottom of melting glaciers; frozen in time and allowing carbon dating to be undertaken. He stressed the importance of local factors and climatic feedback loops that provide a very difficult terrain for predicting specific impacts. However, he did confirm the most prolific impact will be global sea level rise and its implications for people and places.