1 . Climate change and land-use change are projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense, with a global increase of extreme fires of up to 14 per cent by 2030, 30 per cent by the end of 2050 and 50 per cent by the end of the century, according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and GRID-Arendal.
The paper calls for a complete change in government spending on wildfires, changing their investments from reaction and response to prevention and preparedness.
The report, Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires, finds a higher risk even for the Arctic and other regions previously unaffected by wildfires. The report had been released before representatives of 193 nations held a meeting in Nairobi for the restarted 5th session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), between 28 February and 2 March, 2022.
The publication calls on governments to adopt a new “Fire Ready Formula” with two-thirds of spending devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery, with one third left for response. Currently, direct responses to wildfires typically receive over hall of related cost, while planning and prevention receive less than one per cent.
To prevent fires, authors call for a combination of data and science-based monitoring systems with native knowledge and for a stronger regional and international cooperation.
“Current government responses to wildfires are often putting money in the wrong place. Those emergency service workers and firefighters on the frontlines who are risking their lives to fight forest wildfires need to be supported. We have to reduce the risk of extreme wildfires by being better prepared: invest more in fire risk reduction, work with local communities, and strengthen global commitment to fight climate change.” said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director.
Wildfires disproportionately (不成比例地) affect the world’s poorest nations. With an impact that extends for days, weeks and even years after the flames die down, they block progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Coals and deepen social inequalities.
1. What does the paper appeal to the government to do with wildfires?| A．Invest more money on forecast. |
| B．Give advanced warning to wild animals |
| C．Focus on the act of stopping them from happening, |
| D．Plant more tress to make up for the loss of forests. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Critical. | C．Unfair. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．The areas hit by climate change. |
| B．The names of the world’s poorest nations. |
| C．The relationship between wildfires and health. |
| D．The bad effects of wildfires on different fields. |
| A．Wildfires are spreading worldwide. |
| B．The UN held a meeting to discuss wildfires. |
| C．Governments should prepare themselves for wildfires. |
| D．The UNEP Executive Director released a report on wildfires. |
2 . “How many of us as children have stared up at a church-like top of a giant tree and climbed it in wonder, which is a rally special part of our lives?” asks Bill Laurance, a tropical ecologist at James Cook University. “The leaves of big trees in forests are spreading out in all directions. We’re faced with organisms that have evolved for long periods of ecological stability.”
“There’s a lot to discuss on the issue,” says David Lindenmayer, a conservation ecologist at the Australian National University. “Climate change will mean that, in some forests, big trees won’t reach the same sizes they used to.” The effects of climate change, including long droughts, more invasive species and so on increase the simple physical challenges that big trees face in pulling water from their roots to their leaves and withstanding windstorms.
Lindenmayer and Laurance define “large, old trees” as the largest five percent mature trees within a species. The flexible definition means that in some forests, the large, old trees might be only 20 meters tall and 100 years old.
These large, old trees control the surrounding plant communities, affect water and nutrient distribution, and provide food and shelter for wildlife. “They’re really the breadbaskets of the forest,” says Laurance. “This is a very environmentally and ecologically important group of organisms, and they need special care and handling.” Determining the distribution and habitat requirements for large, old trees in the landscape is the first step towards ensuring their survival, “We have to ensure that what we’re thinking is long-term, to match the way these trees have existed for hundreds or even thousands of years,” says Laurance. “It’s going to be a real challenge to keep some places where there is still wildlife and the big church-like trees that we all really care about.”
1. How does the author lead in the topic of the text?| A．By definition. | B．By quoting someone's words. |
| C．By comparison. | D．By drawing some conclusions. |
| A．They have become shorter but thicker. | B．They easily pull water from their roots. |
| C．They are affected by various factors. | D．They grow taller because of climate change. |
| A．Planting big trees is the first step in forest protection. |
| B．The plants around control trees survival. |
| C．Big trees mainly depend on wildlife for survival. |
| D．It is necessary to take good care of big trees. |
| A．Protect Forest Giants | B．Keep Ecological Stability |
| C．Deal with Forest: Organisms | D．Fight Against Climate Change |
