Some 10,500 firefighters were called to tackle forest fires in California in 2015. They were unable to prevent 1,400 homes from destruction. The blaze was fueled by hot and dry weather - as a result of climate change.

The polar bear has become a symbol of climate change, as its habitat is threatened by global warming. The Arctic predator hunts from ice sheets that are fast disappearing. As the ice retreats, they are unable to stalk their prey, and risk starvation. By 2050, scientists warn that the Arctic could be ice-free in summer.

Just visible from the air is a little wood hut on the island of Spitzbergen in Norway. It is home to the Arctic research base where French and German scientists are studying climatic and atmospheric changes in the polar region, including the damage done to permafrost and glacier systems.

A goat watches a mountain expedition on the Swiss Aletsch Glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was around a kilometer longer in 1860 than it is today. Due to global warming, the glacier is shrinking by up to 50 meters per year. With the rate of retreat increasing, scientists fear Europe's biggest glacier could disappear altogether.

… the landscape looks peaceful, bathed in a mystical light. But the actual situation is far more unsettling. This aerial view shows Central Luzon in the Philippines, completely flooded after it was hit by a typhoon and heavy rain. People were drowned or buried under landslides, and half a million were forced to flee their homes. The country is hit by 20 typhoons each year.

… escape is all that's left. The World Bank warns that if global warming continues unimpeded, another 100 million people will be under threat. Poor people in parts of Africa and South Asia are at particular risk. Drought and flooding threaten crops - leading to hunger, disease and high food prices.

Climate change often hits children the hardest, through no fault of their own. Studies have found that economic problems exacerbated by drought can have profound social impacts, such as in an increase in child marriages, for example. Families may marry off their underage daughters earlier to have fewer mouths they have to feed.

Elephants produce huge quantities of manure. At Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo in Germany, one local utility is turning their waste into electric power. Around 2,000 tons of biowaste provides enough power for a hundred homes. Could this be a model for an African school? In any case, climate change is forcing new ways of thinking in the search for green energy.

The Rhine River is Europe's busiest waterway for shipping - but climate change is affecting business. Ongoing drought means shipping firms would be forced to use shorter vessels that can navigate shallower waters. If ships aren't able to set off, more goods have to be transported by road - which is more expensive.

Healthy coral reefs are like a blooming garden. But global warming is bleaching the life out of them. Corals have a symbiotic relationship with algae, which are vital to their health. But as the water heats up, they expel the algae. If warmer water temperatures persist, a lack of nutrients calcifies the corals, which makes their color fade and causes the organisms to die.

Global warming also has its benefits. In recent years, wine is being produced on Germany's northernmost island, Sylt. Ever more vineyards are being established at higher altitudes and further north - even Scandinavia now has some. Global warming also means earlier harvests and sweeter grapes.

In the tiny settlement of Ny Alesund, in the Svalbard archipelago, 11 countries run research stations, which are housed in brightly colored buildings. The "blue house" became the base for German Arctic research 25 years ago. This local resident, a Svalbard reindeer, has gotten used to the scientists and their comings and goings.

The "blue house" became Koldewey Station - named after Carl Koldewey, the pioneer of German Arctic Research. In 2003, the German research agency Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) joined forces with the French Paul Emile Victor (PEV) polar institute to run a joint research base, AWIPEV. Young scientists supported by French or German organizations live and work here in the summer season.

In the early 20th century, the small settlement of Ny Alesund sprung up around coal mining. Later, this served as a base for fishermen, and a hotel was built to attract tourists. Although these ventures failed, the settlement eventually found its true destiny as an international Arctic research village. In the completely dark winter months, only a skeleton staff stays on the base.

There are traces of history all around Ny Alesund. This old train track, on the banks of the Kongsfjord, makes for a beautiful visual motif. The colorful old café still comes to life when scientists have some time off on the weekend.

Above the village is Mount Zeppelin, which houses an observatory that monitors global atmospheric change and transport of long-range pollution. Located so far from pollution sources, it is one of a network of measuring stations around the globe. This spectacular view is seen only by very few people, as access is limited to avoid affecting the measurements. Mobile phones are banned in the village.

One key measurement carried out inside the observatory consists of how much CO2 is in the atmosphere. Mauna Loa in Hawaii is probably the best known of the world's measuring stations - but this Arctic location also plays a key role. Monitoring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is key to understanding global climate change.

Scientists have the opportunity to carry out research and experiment with new technologies during the summer season up in Svalbard. Unsurprisingly, measuring ice and snow processes is one of the main subjects of research here. Melting snow turns into lots of water. Unfortunately for these two researchers, their airborne camera chose to land right … there.

Amongst the local residents dropping in for a snack is this Arctic fox. It is early summer and he is starting to lose his winter coat. Biologists also come to the research base to investigate Arctic wildlife. Sometimes, the question is: Who is watching whom?

In 2005, the Kings Bay Marine Laboratory was officially opened. It is the northernmost experimental laboratory for research in marine ecology, as well for physical sciences like oceanography. Scientists from all over the world make use of the lab facilities to store and work on their samples and prepare them for transport home.

Climate change is making our seas increasingly acid. The Kongsfjord is one location where scientists investigate how this affects creatures that live in the ocean. Here, scientists from some of Germany's leading marine research bodies are lowering "mesocosms" into the fjord. These function like closed observation labs in the icy water. In the background, a Greenpeace ship provides logistical aid.

Visiting scientists regularly collect samples in the fjord. Sometimes the high-tech equipment is transported to the research boat via old-fashioned means. Researchers from different countries and organizations help each other out in collecting samples. One is looking into viruses, the other into how sediment from melting glaciers affects life in the fjord.

Even in summer, the water of this Arctic fjord is ice-cold. Any researcher who falls into the water would die very quickly without proper protection. The orange survival suits are therefore a must for any boat expedition, like this one to the glacier in the distance. The expedition leader must also carry a rifle, in case of unexpected encounters with polar bears.

Waiting for the next set of curious scientists? Birds along the fjords are not always keen to be captured, weighed, have blood samples taken or be ringed. But in the interest of understanding the Arctic and the world we live in, sometimes you have to put up with a little discomfort.