Lesson 3 Towards a Greener Tomorrow
Rising Seas, Sinking Cities
Global warming has been progressing much faster than ____ originally predicted, and warming temperatures are causing sea levels to rise at a faster rate than ever recorded around the world.
Rising sea levels ____ already had a big impact in many places, especially in low-lying countries in the South Pacific.
For example, scientists predict that the Pacific ____ nation of Kiribati will have disappeared under rising sea levels by the end of this century.
This is a problem not just for the South Pacific ____.
Coastal and low-lying areas worldwide are at risk of ____ from the world map before the 21st century ends.
What’s Causing Sea Levels to Rise?
Global warming is causing global sea ____ to rise in two ways.
The first ____ is the melting of land ice — glaciers and ice sheets.
The enormous bodies of ice cover ____ land areas like Greenland and Antarctica, and they hold large amounts of fresh water.
As they melt, the water flows ____ the ocean.
This causes sea ____ to rise.
The second factor is the expansion of ____.
____ water gets warmer, it naturally expands, and this includes the water in the oceans.
Since the oceans absorb more than 90% of the ____ 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 a rise in ____ level.
This process occurs slowly and steadily, and expanding water is estimated to account for about 30% of the sea level rise observed in the ____ century.
How High Will Sea Levels Rise?
Over the period 1901–2018, sea ____ rose by 0.2m.
Sea levels could potentially rise between about 0.38m and 0.77m higher by 2100, depending on the ____ levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
If the current trend continues, billions of people are ____ to be affected by global sea level rise by 2100.
Why Do Sea Levels ____?
When sea levels rise, there will ____ be more frequent and serious flooding along the coasts.
This can cause significant damage in ____ and low-lying regions.
Some villages or even whole ____ could end up under water.
This means that millions of ____ could lose their homes, jobs, and connections to their communities.
Industries such as tourism and fishing may also suffer due to the ____ of coastal areas.
Rising sea ____ are a concern not just for coastal areas.
Stronger and more dangerous ____ can form when the sea levels are higher.
They move more slowly and drop more rain, and thus can cause more destruction to not only coastal regions but ____ to the areas farther from the coast.
Moreover, higher sea levels can ____ make salt water go into sources of fresh water.
This ____ water will be unsuitable for drinking or growing crops.
The flooding of ____ areas also harms the variety of plants and animals there, as many species can't survive in deeper water or saltier conditions.
What Can We Do?
____ level rise is a reality we have to face.
What can we do to reduce the damage and ____ for what comes?
Various approaches have been proposed worldwide and ____ into action to address rising sea levels.
These include building ____ walls and better drainage systems to prevent flooding.
Another solution is to raise buildings ____ flood level or use structures that can float on water.
Preserving and protecting wetlands and mangroves can also reduce the risk of ____ since they absorb water during heavy rains or storms.
As individuals, we ____ also play a part in dealing with sea level rise by reducing our carbon footprint.
Such efforts may include walking, biking, and ____ public transportation.
Using energy-efficient electronic ____ can also be part of such efforts.
____ organizations that work to protect the ocean environments is another way we can make a difference.
Furthermore, many people are still ____ of the risks of sea level rise.
One of the most effective and ____ steps we can take is to raise awareness about the risks.
By raising awareness, we can help others join the fight ____ global warming.
It's time to raise our ____, not our sea levels.