1 . 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 ________ which collects such data, announced that emissions of carbon dioxide in 2019 which were ________ to energy had remained the same (33.3bn tonnes) as the previous year’s.

Energy-related emissions, which include those (produced by electricity generation), heating and transport, ________ more than 70% of the world’s industrial CO₂ pollution. The reason why the emissions remained the same was that there was a(n) ________ in coal use, particularly in rich countries, combined with an increase in the use of renewable power.

As a result of this the CO₂-intensity of electricity generation—a(n) ________ of how much of the gas is emitted per kilowatt hour of petrol produced—fell by nearly 6.5%, to 340 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt hour. It had already been ________, but this is three times the average for the past decade. Such declines more than offset (抵消) the ________ of increased electricity production. The average emission-intensity of power generation in 2019 was “lower than all but the most efficient gas-power plants”, according to the IEA.

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 ________ developing economies increased. This ________ plateau was accompanied by excited declarations that such emissions had peaked. Similar ________ have been made this week, perhaps also prematurely. Besides changes in coal use, a ________ economy may have played a part and the data show that milder than usual weather caused a perceptible drop in emissions from several countries with large, carbon-hungry economies.

________, the latest data from the Amazon rainforest also make us feel relieved. This, one of the world’s largest woodlands, has acted ________ as an absorbing sponge (海绵) for CO₂ by removing it from the atmosphere through photo-synthesis. Researchers at Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research have shown that a vast part of the south-east of the Amazon, about one fifth of its area, has lost its ________ to absorb the gas and is now a net source of emissions into the atmosphere instead. This land has been widely deforested, so the result is little ________. But it is disappointing.

Are Your Clothes Causing Pollution?

Very small pieces of plastic, called microfibers, are polluting rivers and oceans.     1     Clothes worn for outdoor activities and exercise are often made of artificial material, which is useful in keeping warm. But they contain very small plastic fibers, which may also be harming the environment when you wash them. When people wash these clothes, very small pieces go down the drain with the wash water.

Studies on microfibers in the environment

Pollution caused by plastic is not new, but recent studies have shown the effect of microfibers in the environment. Studies show very small microfibers are ending up in our waters, which may come from waste water treatment factories. A 2015 study found them in fish from California.

Microfibers, effect on food supplies

Beyond the waterways, the researchers say microfibers may end up in soil and agricultural lands.     2     This means there is much to be learned about microfibers and the environment. Some studies have shown that microfibers end up inside sea animals, like oysters.     3     Researchers say that the fibers tend not to move into the tissue of the fish, but it needs more study.

Steps to save or keep microfibers from the environment

Until more information becomes known, there are steps to take to reduce the amount of microfibers in the environment. People should use less of the artificial materials. If we already have those in our lives and we’re using them, an important step would be washing them less.     4     A bag is being designed in which to wash these clothes. It traps the microfibers in the bag and it may be available for purchase soon.

6 . Keeping The Taps Running in Thirsty Cities

Water covers 71% of Earth’s surface yet only 2% of it is accessible as a source of fresh water. ______ on this limited resources is rising, a trend likely to continue.

It is important to recognize that it is not just city residents who ______ water. Agriculture, industry and tourism often require more water than the municipal water supply. Globally, 70% of fresh water is ______ for agriculture, but locally in heavily irrigated(灌溉)areas this can increate to 90%. A healthy environment also requires fresh water, and the quality of available water is as important as its ______.

Water stress is not always caused by physical shortages in dry areas. ______ for water resources between different users within river catchments or basins can also be a cause.

Every thirsty city operates within its own context, _____ to the challenge of providing adequate water supplies. Cape Town, ______, has faced three years of drought during which winter rains failed to materialize. At the end of the 2017 rainy season the city faced the ______ of its dams running dry during 2018. The dams were only 37% full—in the same week four years before they were full to the top. In January 2018, it was ______ that Cape Town would reach Day Zero, when it would be forced to turn off the taps, in April. This was despite the city reducing its water use by more than half, from 1.2 billion litres a day in 2015 to fewer than 600 million litres, and working ______ with industry and agriculture to reduce demand.

On February 1, the authorities put in place a strict limit of 50 litres of water per person per day. ______, in Britain this is considered enough for a five-minute shower of half a washing machine cycle on full load.

In addition, a ban was placed on using ______ water for gardens, water management devices were installed at household with a high water use and the water pressure was reduced to cut demand and leaks. At the same, the city launched a media ______ to change habits and introduced higher duties. This is not without its costs; agriculture and tourism, both significant areas of employment, have ______. It is a classic example of the problem of water economics-the cost of water is low but the cost of a lack of water is very high.

Crises such as the Cape Town drought are in danger of becoming the new norm. The ______ of Day Zero must serve as a wake-up call for cities across the world to develop cost-effective water management strategies to cope with an uncertain future.