FutureLearn

The Frozen Frontier: Monitoring the Greenland Ice Sheet from Space (FutureLearn)

Offered by European Space Agency,

Learn how the Greenland ice sheet is monitored from space and the ground, to understand our past, present and future climate. Made up of layers of compressed snow from over the last 100,000 years, the vast Greenland ice sheet acts as both a valuable record of our past climate and a bellwether for future climate change. This online course highlights how the Greenland ice sheet is monitored from space and the ground. You’ll look at the measurements made possible by Earth Observation (EO) satellites like Cryosat, the technologies and techniques involved, the data generated, and its uses and challenges.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You’ll also explore the role of ice in the climate system, and the impact of climate change on the Greenland ice sheet.

What topics will you cover?

Satellite Earth Observation technology, terminology and the types of data products available when monitoring ice sheets
Understanding the unique measurements of ice thickness and dynamics which satellite data can provide
How to access process and work with Earth observation data and ice sheet measuring tools
The use of Earth observation data in a range of scientific, policy and decision-making areas, in conjunction with models

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

Explore how we observe and measure ice sheets in situ and from satellites
Explore the operational elements of satellite missions like Cryosat, which monitor the Greenland ice sheet
Understand the complexity of the dynamics involved in melting ice sheet systems
Data processing methods from Cryosat and other satellite missions
Investigate how satellite data models enable a complete picture of changes in the ice sheet and how this is used in policy decision making

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

FutureLearn

Cenex

Green Travel and Climate Change: An Introduction to Low Carbon Road Transport (FutureLearn)

Sci: Environment

Find out the impact of road transport on carbon emissions and climate change, and how low carbon transport technologies can help. Explore the role of low carbon transport technologies in tackling climate change. This course explores the key transport technologies, trends, and policies that are enabling a transition to low emission vehicles.

Aug 2nd 2021

4 Weeks

Climate Change Hydrogen Low Carbon Economy

FutureLearn

University of Exeter

Climate Change: The Science (FutureLearn)

Engineering Sci: Environment

Learn about the science of climate change, the risks it poses and how human activity is changing our world. Climate Change poses an increasing threat to the stability of Earth’s systems. If we want to protect our planet from dangerous and unprecedented change, first we must understand the science behind climate change.

Jan 18th 2021

4 Weeks

Science Climate Change Ocean

FutureLearn

National STEM Learning Centre,ESERO-UK,ESERO Ireland

Teaching Climate Change (FutureLearn)

Education Sci: Environment

Learn how to teach climate change to students aged 11-14 years old and engage them with the ESA Climate Detectives project. Teach the causes of climate change, and how we can mitigate global warming. On this course, you’ll learn how to successfully teach climate change to secondary school students aged 11-14 years old. You’ll learn about the key facts behind the climate crisis, before going on to develop practical learning activities for your pupils.

May 9th 2022

3 Weeks

Global Warming Climate Change Teaching

FutureLearn

Monash University

Water for Liveable and Resilient Cities (FutureLearn)

Health & Society Sci: Energy & Earth Sciences

Learn how water can be used in the planning of cities to improve liveability in the face of climate change and population growth. Water plays a central role in almost every aspect of our urban environment and quality of life in our cities. Alarmingly, the combined impacts of rapid population growth and climate change are now posing a severe threat to the liveability and resilience of our cities.

No sessions available

5-12 Weeks

Water Climate Change Water Management

FutureLearn

University of Edinburgh

Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP26 (FutureLearn)

Sci: Environment

Explore global issues during COP26 and be part of the call for collective action. What on Earth could be more important? Live at COP26. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) is being held in Glasgow, Scotland between 31st October and 12th November 2021. It will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree and accelerate coordinated global action on climate change.

Nov 7th 2022

2 Weeks

Sustainability Climate Change COP26

FutureLearn

University of Reading

Climate Intelligence: Using Climate Data to Improve Business Decision-Making (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Business

Build climate resilience in your business as you learn how climate intelligence helps make decisions that mitigate risks. How exposed is your organisation to climate risk? Climate and weather projections hold the data that businesses need both to evaluate the risk climate change poses and to mitigate that risk. However, interpreting this data can be challenging. On this two-week course, you’ll learn how to identify relevant and reliable climate data for your business and explore how that raw data can be converted into information that connects with the particular operational and financial decisions you face.

Jul 25th 2022

2 Weeks

Climate Change Decision Making Climate Resilience

FutureLearn

BIMA,MSQ

How to Measure, Reduce, and Offset your Company’s Carbon Footprint (FutureLearn)

Sci: Environment

Help tackle climate change with this guide to carbon footprint measurement, offsetting, and reduction strategies for your company. Explore the different carbon footprint modelling tools No matter how many green practices you have in place, companies still produce at least some carbon in their operations.

Sep 6th 2021

5-12 Weeks

Climate Change Measurement Methods Carbon Footprint

FutureLearn

EUMETSAT,Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service - CAMS,European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts - ECMWF,Mercator Ocean International - MOi,European Environment Agency - EEA

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth Monitoring (FutureLearn)

Engineering Sci: Mathematics

Explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies are helping to advance Earth monitoring. Learn to use AI and ML to improve the use of big data in Earth Monitoring. This is a fast-changing and critical time for Earth Observation (EO), especially for those involved in its use for climate and meteorology.

Oct 18th 2021

5-12 Weeks

ML Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning

FutureLearn

University of Edinburgh,Climate Solutions,Edinburgh Climate Change Institute(ECCI)

Climate Solutions: India (FutureLearn)

Sci: Environment

Explore the effects of climate change and how to address the biggest challenge to our civilisation in the 21st century. Tackle the climate emergency in India. Climate Change is one of the greatest threats we face. The impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world, affecting both natural and human systems, and these impacts are expected to become greater in years to come.

Dec 6th 2021

5-12 Weeks

Climate Change India Climate Science

FutureLearn

University of Bergen

Causes of Climate Change (FutureLearn)

Sci: Energy & Earth Sciences Sci: Environment

Learn the physical processes behind climate variation around the world to better understand the causes of climate change. Uncover the past, present, and future of the causes of climate change. This free online course provides the basis for understanding the underlying physical processes governing climate variations in the past, present and future.

Sep 20th 2021

3 Weeks

Climate Change Physical Processes Atmosphere

FutureLearn

University of Leeds

Planet Earth: Understanding and Protecting our Environment (FutureLearn)

Sci: Environment

Learn about the physical geography of Earth and discover how to use this knowledge to protect our natural environment. Discover the Earth’s natural systems and how human activity affects them. On this two-week course from the University of Leeds, you will discover the processes of the hydrosphere, the geosphere, and the biosphere and explore the impact of human activity and climate change on our planet.

Feb 16th 2026

2 Weeks

Earth Environment Climate Change

FutureLearn

University of Edinburgh,British Council,Learning for a Sustainable Scotland

Learning for a Sustainable Future (FutureLearn)

Sci: Energy & Earth Sciences Sci: Environment

Join a personal and professional global learning journey towards a sustainable future. What on Earth could be more important? Grow your knowledge of sustainability. Climate change, gender equality, health, social equity, and inclusion are issues that affect us all, impacting human well-being and economic stability. How to live a sustainable life affects – and connects - us all.

Mar 13th 2023

5-12 Weeks

Sustainability Personal Development Climate Change