As concerns over climate change and its effects on the planet grow, a new exhibition at Aberystwyth University’s Old College will use cutting-edge satellite imaging to reveal how the Welsh landscape has changed over the past 35 years.

The Living Wales exhibition has been developed by Prof Richard Lucas and the Earth Observation and Ecosystem Dynamics Research Group at the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences in collaboration with the Centre for Alternative Technology, near Machynlleth, and the Welsh Government.

Using a combination of cutting-edge satellite observation, computer analysis and input from the public on the ground, Prof Lucas’s team has captured incredible details and information on the states and dynamics of the Welsh landscape.

One display highlights the effect on vegetation and the mid Wales rural areas of the scorching summer temperatures of last year to give a flavour of the impact of climate change.

Prof Lucas said that the “dynamic” exhibition “is providing new perspectives of the impact of mankind on the global environment over the past 35 years but also how these have contributed to the changes we are now seeing and hearing about every day, including climatic variability and biodiversity loss”.

“This exhibition is very timely, given the recent climate strike and the opening of the United Nations Climate Summit in the United States on Monday, 23 September, with both addressing the issue of climate change and the need to take greater action,” he said.

“We want to give the public an understanding of our changing environment but also convey how we can all make a contribution to making a better place for ourselves and future generations, in Wales but also globally.”

The exhibition was opened by Prof Elizabeth Treasure, vice-chancellor at Aberystwyth University, on Monday, 23 September and runs at the Old College until Friday, 20 December.

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