Lesson 3 Towards a Greener Tomorrow
Rising Seas, Sinking Cities
Global warming has been progressing much faster than scientists originally predicted, and warming temperatures are causing sea levels to rise at a faster rate than ever ____ around the world.
____ sea levels have already had a big impact in many places, especially in low-lying countries in the South Pacific.
For example, scientists predict that the Pacific island nation of Kiribati will have disappeared under rising sea levels ____ the end of this century.
This is a problem not just for the ____ Pacific countries.
Coastal and low-lying areas worldwide ____ at risk of disappearing from the world map before the 21st century ends.
What’s Causing Sea Levels to Rise?
Global warming is causing global sea levels to rise in two ____
The first factor ____ the melting of land ice — glaciers and ice sheets.
The enormous bodies ____ ice cover huge land areas like Greenland and Antarctica, and they hold large amounts of fresh water.
As they melt, the water flows into ____ ocean.
This causes ____ levels to rise.
The second factor is the expansion ____ water.
When water gets warmer, it naturally expands, and this ____ the water in the oceans.
Since the ____ absorb more than 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, they continuously warm up and accordingly seawater expands.
This increased volume of water occupies more space in the oceans, which causes ____ rise in sea level.
This process occurs slowly and steadily, and expanding water ____ estimated to account for about 30% of the sea level rise observed in the past century.
How High Will Sea Levels Rise?
Over the period 1901–2018, sea levels rose by ____
Sea levels could potentially rise between about 0.38m and 0.77m higher by 2100, depending on ____ different levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
If the current trend continues, billions of people are expected to be affected by global sea ____ rise by 2100.
Why Do ____ Levels Matter?
When sea levels rise, there will likely be more frequent ____ serious flooding along the coasts.
This can cause significant damage in coastal and low-lying ____
Some villages or ____ whole cities could end up under water.
This means that millions of people could lose their homes, ____ and connections to their communities.
Industries such as tourism and ____ may also suffer due to the loss of coastal areas.
Rising sea levels
Sea level rise is a reality we ____ to face.
What can we do to reduce the damage ____ prepare for what comes?
Various approaches have been proposed worldwide and ____ into action to address rising sea levels.
These include building sea ____ and better drainage systems to prevent flooding.
Another solution is to raise buildings above flood level or use structures that can float ____ water.
Preserving and protecting wetlands and mangroves can also reduce the risk ____ flooding since they absorb water during heavy rains or storms.
As individuals, we can also play a part in dealing with sea level rise ____ reducing our carbon footprint.
Such ____ may include walking, biking, and using public transportation.
Using energy-efficient electronic devices ____ also be part of such efforts.
Supporting organizations that work to protect the ocean environments is ____ way we can make a difference.
Furthermore, many people are still unaware of the risks of sea level ____
____ of the most effective and efficient steps we can take is to raise awareness about the risks.
By raising awareness, we can help others join ____ fight against global warming.
It's time to raise ____ voices, not our sea levels.
What Can We Do?
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