A awareness B. clear C. encourage D. ignore E. immediate F. limiting G. redesigning H. significantly I. team J. theme K. unlikely |
Go Recycling
No one looking at the state of Earth in 2023 can be in any doubt that we are facing three serious environmental problems: climate problem, loss of biodiversity (生物多样性) and pollution of air, soil and water. To solve the problems, we increase the use of electric cars,
We should realize that a key
A shocking figure lies at the heart of our special report on our world — of the more than 100 billion tons of things that humans use each year, hardly 10% is recycled. That makes it obvious a full-range war on waste should be paid
Solving the three problems calls for a huge transition with joint efforts. Governments must take the lead by introducing laws with the purpose of rewarding green practices, such as the
2 . Goodish News of Climate Change
Emissions of carbon dioxide (related to energy production) have stabilized, for now.
Is it a peak, a stutter or just a brief pause? Time will tell. But whatever it is, on February 11th the International Energy Agency (IEA), an intergovernmental
Energy-related emissions, which include those (produced by electricity generation), heating and transport,
As a result of this the CO₂-intensity of electricity generation—a(n)
This is not the first time energy related emissions have plateaued (保持稳定). Between 2013 and 2016 they hovered around 32.2bn tonnes a year, before rising again in 2017 as the use of coal to
A.circumstance | B.environment | C.contribution | D.organization |
A.available | B.similar | C.related | D.referred |
A.call for | B.account for | C.stand for | D.allow for |
A.decline | B.increase | C.promotion | D.recovery |
A.product | B.idea | C.measure | D.result |
A.floating | B.falling | C.disappearing | D.remaining |
A.outcome | B.change | C.effect | D.achievement |
A.fuel | B.regulate | C.handle | D.expand |
A.frequent | B.previous | C.natural | D.disastrous |
A.tips | B.plans | C.warnings | D.comments |
A.booming | B.dynamic | C.strong | D.depressed |
A.In addition | B.By contrast | C.In consequence | D.In fact |
A.accidentally | B.absolutely | C.historically | D.correctly |
A.prospect | B.ability | C.need | D.decision |
A.anger | B.hope | C.devotion | D.surprise |
Throughout the world, only 15% of the material that are used to make clothing is properly recycled, according to the Alle SacUrthur Club, an organization in Liverpool, UK, that boosts the circular economy. Most clothing waste—an
A change in the manufacturing process is being applied to the textile-waste problem by Essen, a start-up in Seattle, Washington.
Although there are abundant technical challenges, the main barrier
4 . Climate change disproportionately affects the world’s most vulnerable people, particularly poor rural communities that depend on the land for their livelihoods and coastal populations throughout the tropics. We have already seen a chain of tough suffering that results from extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires, and more.
For remedies, advocates and politicians have tended to look toward cuts in fossil-fuel use or technologies to capture carbon before it enters the atmosphere—both of which are crucial. But this focus has overshadowed the most powerful and cost-efficient carbon capture technology in the world. Recent research confirms that forests are absolutely essential in reducing climate change, thanks to their ability to absorb and isolate carbon. In fact, natural climate solutions such as conservation and restoration of forests, along with improvements in land management, can help us achieve 37 percent of our climate target of limiting warming to a maximum of two degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, even though they currently receive only 2.5 percent of public climate financing.
Forests’ power to store carbon dioxide is staggering: one tree can store an average of about 48 pounds in one year. Intact(完整的)forests could take in the CO2 emissions of some entire countries.
For this reason, policymakers and business leaders must create and enforce policies to prevent deforestation, foster, reforestation of degraded land, and promote the sustainable management of standing forests in the fight against climate change. Protecting the world’s forests ensures they can keep performing essential functions such as producing oxygen, filtering water and supporting biodiversity. Not only does the world’s entire population depend on forests to provide clean air, clean water, oxygen and medicines, but 1.6 billion people also rely on them directly for their livelihoods.
Unfortunately, a huge amount of forest continues to be converted into agricultural land to produce a handful of resource-intensive commodities - despite zero-deforestation commitments from companies and governments. So now is the time to increase forest protection and restoration. This action will also address a number of other pressing global issues. For example, in less developed, rural areas - especially in the tropics - community-based forest-management programs can forge pathways out of poverty. In the Peten region of Guatemala, for instance, community-managed forests boasted a near-zero deforestation rate from 2000 through 2013, as compared with 12 percent in nearby protected areas and buffer(缓冲)zones. These communities have built low-impact, sustainable forest-based businesses that have stimulated the economy of the region enough to fund the creation of local schools and health services. Their success is especially noticeable in a location where, outside these community-managed zones, deforestation rates have increased 20-fold.
1. Which of the following statements about natural climate solutions is true according to the passage?A.They are the only effective strategies available to address the climate change. |
B.They pale in comparison with the reduction in fossil-fuel use or technologies. |
C.They can and should play a more important role in cutting carbon emissions. |
D.They manage to limit warming to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. |
A.documented | B.incredible |
C.unsteady | D.negligible |
A.The policies to prevent deforestation have borne fruit. |
B.Developed countries are hit the hardest by climate change. |
C.Economic growth contributes a lot to reducing deforestation. |
D.Some governments fail to keep their promises to preserve forests. |
A.Keeping forests undamaged can go a long way toward saving the planet. |
B.A high-tech climate fix is required to dramatically lessen global warming. |
C.Governments should work together with businesses to stop deforestation. |
D.Sustainable management of forests is crucial in powering regional development. |
A. respectively B. vision C. rebounded D. decoupling E. respectably F. promoting G. commitments H. emitters I. peak J. remaining K. urgent |
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Asean (东盟) region are estimated to increase in the same period, based on the latest Nationally determined contributions (NDC) targets up to 2030.
To keep the Paris Agreement temperature goal within reach, Dr Beni Suryadi, Centre for Energy Manager at the Asean Secretariat, stated that ASEAN needs to achieve
However,
“It is vital to reduce energy intensity through lower energy demand and further energy savings and to reduce emission intensity by
“Current policies need to be enhanced to achieve the NDC targets. The
Earlier in his presentation, Dr Beni highlighted, “a brief record-breaking drop in climate change – causing carbon emissions during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. However, nowadays we continue to hear the news and read reports that say that global emissions have already
“While we are grateful to learn that the economy is reviving and we see economic activities taking place everywhere, there is a(n)
At the global level, he said, “It is recorded that almost three-quarters of the GHG emissions come from energy use; almost one-fifth from agriculture and land use; and the
He also noted that the electricity and transport sectors start out as and remain the biggest
“If the Asean member states do what is needed to fully achieve their own national energy efficiency and renewable energy targets, as well as their climate commitments, Asean’s total energy- related GHG emissions in 2040 will be 3,002 MtCO2-eq, 28 per cent lower than in the baseline scenario.
“Power generation remains the largest sectoral contributor, accounting for about 40 per cent and 46 per cent of total GHG emissions from energy in 2025 and 2040,
“Furthermore, if Asean fulfilled its regional aspirational targets on the energy efficiency and renewable energy, Asean will be able to reduce GHG emissions more sharply to only 2,264 Mt CO2-eq in 2040,” he said.
A. alternatives B. behavioural C. completion D. consideration E. met F. modernizing G. occupied H. powering I. schemes J. specify K. thorough |
Carbon Impact
De-carboning existing housing will require households to stop burning fossil fuels and wood to power and heat their homes. If the UK’s current energy demand could be
The smart solution is to reduce the energy demand of homes. This energy demand includes the energy needed to heat (or cool) a home and that required for a home to run, such as
Architects can have a big impact on energy demand through improving the performance of the building envelope by increasing insulation (绝缘) and airtightness. We can also work with building services engineers to
The rebuilding works took place while the building was
7 . U.N. Report Warns Nature Crisis
A new U.N. report focuses on the negative effects of human activity on nature. It says one million plant and animal species on land, in the seas and in the sky are now in danger of extinction.
The problem can be fixed, the report says.
Professor Eduardo Brondizio of Indiana University is an author of the report. He says, “We all know what needs to be done. The knowledge is there.
A.However, this requires considerable changes. |
B.Over 120 wildlife species are facing extinction. |
C.The 1,800-page report took three years to finish. |
D.The report listed several causes for the situation. |
E.There just needs to be a greater will to take action. |
F.The report also finds that global goals for protecting nature cannot be met. |
8 . Brazil’s election offers hope for the rainforest
A presidential election in 2022 will offer a chance for Brazil’s government to reverse policies that have
On his watch, environmental enforcement and fines dropped to record lows. Activists say this has encouraged
A greener president would try to crack down on such crimes. Polls
But even an enlightened president will have to battle a
Better leadership in Brazil could jump-start regional efforts to boost enforcement and find sustainable
A.referred | B.contributed | C.amounted | D.related |
A.footprint | B.sink | C.source | D.emission |
A.indeed | B.instead | C.accidentally | D.otherwise |
A.stepped down | B.took office | C.claimed precedence | D.kept watch |
A.seasonal | B.selective | C.illegal | D.professional |
A.involvement | B.attachment | C.limitation | D.existence |
A.advise | B.advocate | C.suggest | D.represent |
A.sustainable | B.economic | C.rapid | D.rural |
A.claim | B.manage | C.create | D.borrow |
A.farmer-friendly | B.warm-blooded | C.pressure-free | D.profit-making |
A.realise | B.normalize | C.publicise | D.legalise |
A.sold | B.explored | C.cleared | D.occupied |
A.election | B.argument | C.appeal | D.decision |
A.main | B.varied | C.final | D.same |
A.replacements | B.transitions | C.alternatives | D.references |
A. directly | B. conventional | C. sorted | D. sustainable | E. landfilling | F. supply |
G. dating | H. undoubtedly | I. viewed | J. packaging | K. cardboard |
Recycling can be defined as the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. It can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of recycling is to avoid
Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, and
Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the roadside, then
In the strictest sense, recycling of a material would produce a fresh
Much of the difficulty in recycling comes from the fact that most products are not designed with recycling in mind. The concept of
10 . Countries are failing to take the action needed to stave off the worst effects of climate change, a UN climate report has found, and the commitments made in the 2015 Paris agreement will not be met unless governments introduce additional measures as a matter of urgency.
New taxes on fossil fuels, investment in clean technology and much stronger government policies to bring down emissions are likely to be necessary. Governments must also stop subsidizing (补贴) fossil fuels, directly and indirectly, the report said.
Greenhouse gas emissions continued their long-term rise last year, according to the report, but they could be brought under control. There are promising signs, such as investment from the private sector in renewable energy and other technologies to cut carbon, but these are currently insufficient to meet scientific advice.
Global emissions have reached what the UN has called "historic levels" of 53.5 gigatonnes(十亿吨) of carbon dioxide equivalent, and are showing no signs of peaking, despite a leveling off in the past decade.
Joyce Msuya, deputy executive director of UN Environment, said: "The science is clear: for all the ambitious climate action we've seen, governments need to move faster and with greater urgency. We're feeding this fire, while the means to extinguish it are within reach. "
Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) warned of the dire effects of allowing global warming to reach 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels. The world has a little over a decade to bring down greenhouse gas emissions before such dangerous levels of warming become inevitable.
Only 57 countries, representing 60%of global greenhouse gas emissions, are on track to cause their emissions to peak before 2030.If emissions are allowed to rise beyond that, the IPCC has said countries are likely to breach the 1.5℃ limit, which will trigger sea-level rises, droughts, floods and other extreme weather events.
According to the Paris agreement, the first global pact to bind both developed and developing countries to a specific temperature goal, governments must do all they can to stop warming reaching 2℃ above pre-industrial levels, with an aspiration to limit warming to no more than 1.5℃.
Jian Liu, the chief scientist at UN Environment, said some of the necessary policies were clear and available, if there was political will to implement them. "When governments embrace fiscal(财政的) policy measures to subsidize low-carbon alternatives and tax fossil fuels, they can stimulate the right investments in the energy sector and significantly reduce carbon emissions. If all fossil fuel subsidies were phased out, global carbon emissions could be reduced by up to 10% by 2030."
1. Which of the following ideas is NOT included in the UN climate report?A.Governments should stop their subsidy to the coal and petroleum industry. |
B.The efforts made by the government showed some promising signs. |
C.Man has been breaking the historical records of global emissions. |
D.There is still hope for us to control Greenhouse gas emission. |
A.The situation is dangerous and we need to do something to bring it under control. |
B.Immediate fire-fighting measures should be taken to keep the fire under control. |
C.We are making climate efforts but the achieved effects can be easily reversed. |
D.To reduce emissions, we need to close down the fossil-fuel-powered plants. |
A.It is desirable for humanity to limit the temperature rise within 1.5℃. |
B.Countries need to control the temperature rise within 2℃ above prehistoric level. |
C.Developed and developing countries are bound by their own temperature goals. |
D.Disastrous climate change will be irrecoverable if we exceed the 1.5℃ limit. |
A.upcoming | B.hazardous |
C.crucial | D.convincing |
A.To show a huge gap between words and deeds in fighting global warning. |
B.To present a clear picture of how Paris agreement is implemented. |
C.To appeal for further global commitment to avoid disastrous climate. |
D.To warn of worsening climate caused by lack of combined human effort. |