Lesson 3 Towards a Greener Tomorrow
Rising Seas, Sinking Cities
Global ____ has been progressing much faster than scientists originally predicted, and warming temperatures are causing sea levels to rise at a faster rate than ever recorded around the world.
Rising sea levels have already had a big ____ 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 ____ by the end of this century.
This is a ____ not just for the South Pacific countries.
Coastal and low-lying areas worldwide are at risk of disappearing from the world map before the 21st century ____.
What’s Causing Sea Levels to Rise?
Global warming is causing global sea levels to rise in ____ ways.
The first factor is the melting of land ice — glaciers and ice ____.
The enormous bodies of ice cover huge land areas like ____ and Antarctica, and they hold large amounts of fresh water.
As they melt, the ____ flows into the ocean.
This causes sea levels to ____.
The second factor is the ____ of water.
When water gets warmer, it naturally expands, and this includes the water in the ____.
Since the oceans absorb more than 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, they ____ warm up and accordingly seawater expands.
This increased volume of ____ occupies more space in the oceans, which causes a rise in sea level.
This process occurs slowly and steadily, and expanding water is ____ to account for about 30% of the sea level rise observed in the past century.
How High Will Sea Levels Rise?
____ the period 1901–2018, sea levels rose by 0.2m.
Sea levels could potentially rise between about 0.38m and 0.77m higher by ____, depending on the different levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
If the current ____ continues, billions of people are expected to be affected by global sea level rise by 2100.
____ Do Sea Levels Matter?
When sea levels ____, there will likely be more frequent and serious flooding along the coasts.
This can cause significant damage in coastal and ____ regions.
Some villages or even whole cities ____ end up under water.
This means that ____ of people could lose their homes, jobs, and connections to their communities.
Industries such as tourism and fishing may also suffer due to the loss of coastal ____.
Rising sea levels
Sea level rise is a ____ we have to face.
____ can we do to reduce the damage and prepare for what comes?
Various approaches have been proposed worldwide and put into action to address ____ sea levels.
These include building sea walls and better drainage systems to prevent ____.
____ solution is to raise buildings above flood level or use structures that can float on water.
Preserving and protecting wetlands and mangroves can also ____ the risk of flooding since they absorb water during heavy rains or storms.
As individuals, we can also ____ a part in dealing with sea level rise by reducing our carbon footprint.
Such efforts may include walking, ____, and using public transportation.
____ energy-efficient electronic devices can also be part of such efforts.
Supporting organizations that work to protect the ocean environments is another way we can make a ____.
Furthermore, many people are still unaware of the ____ of sea level rise.
____ of the most effective and efficient steps we can take is to raise awareness about the risks.
By raising awareness, we can ____ others join the fight against global warming.
It's time to raise our voices, not our ____ levels.
What Can We Do?
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