1.
World Water Shortage
A new study warns that about thirty percent of the world's people may not have enough water by the year 2025.
A new study warns: By 2025, 30% of the world's people will not have enough water to drink.
A private American organization called Population Action International did the new study. It says more than three-hundred-thirty-five-million people lack enough water now. The people live in twenty-eight countries. Most of the countries are in Africa or the Middle East.
The study was conducted by Population Action, a private institution in the United States. The report says that 335 million people in the world now do not have enough water. These people are mainly distributed in 28 countries in Africa or the Middle East.
P-A-I researcher Robert Engelman says by the year 2025, about three-thousand-million people may lack water. At least 18 more countries are expected to have severe water problems. The demand for water keeps increasing. Yet the The amount of water on Earth stays the same.
Robert Angelman, a researcher at Population Action Group, said that by 2025, about three billion people will lack water. At least 18 other countries are likely to face equally severe water shortages. Humanity's demand for water continues to rise, but the amount of water on Earth remains the same.
Mr. Engelman says the population in countries that lack water is growing faster than in other parts of the world. He says population growth in these countries will continue to increase.
Engelman Mr Mann said countries with water shortages had higher population growth rates than other parts of the world. He also said birth rates in these countries would continue to grow.
The report says lack of water in the future may result in several problems. It may increase health problems. Lack of water often means drinking waters not safe. Mr. Engelman says there are problems all over the world because of diseases, such as cholera, which are carried in water. Lack of water may also result in more international conflict. Countries may have to compete for water in the future. Some countries now get sixty percent of their fresh water from other countries. This is true of Egypt, the Netherlands, Cambodia, Syria, Sudan, and Iraq. And the report says lack of water would affect the ability of developing to improve their economies. This is because new industries often need a large amount of water when they are beginning.
The report shows that in the future, the lack of water resources may lead to some serious consequences. First it may create more health problems. The lack of water resources means that drinking water is no longer guaranteed. Mr. Angelman said water-borne diseases such as cholera could cause many problems for the world. Water scarcity could also lead to more international strife. Countries may start wars over water. Now some countries, such as Egypt, the Netherlands, Cambodia, Syria, Sudan and Iraq, import 60% of their pure water from abroad. The report concludes that water scarcity will impact developing countries' ability to grow their economies. This is because new industries often require large amounts of water in their initial stages.
The Population Action International study gives several solutions to the water problem. One way, it says, is to find ways to use water for more than one purpose. Another way is to teach people to be careful not to waste water. A third way is to use less water of agriculture.
Population Action's research report proposes several solutions to the world's water shortage problem. First, find versatile ways to use water. Second, educate people not to waste water resources. The third is to use less agricultural water.
The report also says long-term solutions to the water problem must include controls on population growth. It says countries cannot provide clean water unless they slow population growth by limiting the number of children people have.
The report also shows that controlling population growth is one of the indispensable measures to solve the problem of water shortage in the long term. It says countries cannot provide clean water unless they can reduce population growth by limiting births.
Global warming a bigger threat to poor Global warming aggravates poverty and climate change urgently needs to be controlled
Global warming, modeled on computer here, kills more people than terrorism
Global warming threatens to reverse human progress, and make unachievable all UN targets to reduce poverty, according to some of the world's leading international and development groups.
In a report published today, Oxfam, Greenpeace, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth, WWF and 15 other groups say rich governments must immediately address climate change to avoid even "obscene levels" of worldwide poverty.
"Food production, water supplies, public health and people's livelihoods are already being damaged and undermined," the report says. "There is no either/or approach possible. The world must meet its commitments to achieve poverty reduction and also tackle climate change. The two are inextricably linked."
The report, which draws on UN predictions of the effects of climate change in poor countries over the next 50 years , says poor countries will experience more flooding, declining food production, more disease and the deterioration or extinction of entire ecosystems on which many of the world's poorest people depend.
" Climate change needs to be addressed now. The poor will bear the brunt of the impacts. The frontline experience of many of us working in international development indicates that communities are having to combat more extreme weather conditions."
Climate change will play havoc with agriculture and water supplies and will increase diseases. "By 2025 the proportion of the world's population living in countries of significant water stress will almost double, to 6 billion people. Tropical and sub -tropical areas will be hardest hit - those countries already suffering from food insecurity(food shortage)".
Poor communities mostly do not need hi-tech solutions, but would most benefit from education, research and being shown how to farm better. The report says unchecked global warming, more than wars or political upheaval, will displace millions of people and destabilise many countries.
2.
Green Olympics Initiative
Bidding for the Olympic Games, in a way, an image-creating undertaking. The first and foremost thing is to let people fall in love with the city at first sight, attracting them by its unipue image. What image does Beijing
intend to create for itself once it has the opportunity to host the 2008 Olympics?
It is known to all that the Beijing Municipal Government has already set the theme for the future games: New Beijing, Great Olympics. For me, the 2008 Olympics will be a great green Olympics illuminated with two more special colors, yellow and red.
First , yellow is a meaningful color. The Yellow River is China's Mother River and the descendants of the Yellow Emperor. This color has a special origin and great significance for the Chinese people. Beijing is the capital of New China and previously the capital for nine dynasties in Chinese history. So, yellow will naturally add splendor to the 2008 Games.
Secondly, the 2008 Olympics will be a red pageant.Red is another traditionally cherished color for the whole country. We adore red. On big occasions, we like to decorate our homes in red. It is the color of double happiness, representing joyous moments, auspiciousness, enthusiasm and prosperity. Red is one of the most suitable colors to describe the future of Beijing . Beijing , together with the The whole country, is becoming more and more prosperous in the process of modernization. Should the 2008 Olympics be held in Beijing, the whole city will be a sea of ??red: the red torch, red flags, red flowers, and the radiant faces of millions of joyful people.
Above all, the 2008 Olympics will be a green Olympics. Adding a green ingredient is essential in creating an appealing image, as we can't deny the fact that Beijing, at the moment, is not as green a city as what we like it to be. Striving for an environmentally appealing city has become a central task for all the citizens of Beijing. Big efforts have been made in pollution control, replanting and beautification of the city. According to a project entitled" The Green Olympic Action Plan", between 1998 and 2007, Beijing, we have invested 100 billion RMB in preserving and protecting the environment. Some 12.5 million trees and over 1 million acres of grass will be planted along the Fourth Ring Road . By then, the city's green area will make up 40% of its total. The city will also dredge its reservoirs used as a water supply to Beijing residents, controlling industrial pollution and moving out the 200 factories presently located within the city proper. < /p>
Certainly, all of this is no easy task. But I am sure that all of us have confidence that we will realize these green goals. For now we have the full support and participation of the environmentally conscious citizens. Each
citizen is showing great concern for every one of the steps the city government takes. As the saying goes, United, we stand, and a green Beijing will be achieved.
When our aspiration becomes a reality, it will be a unique Olympics." New Beijing, Great Olympics"; will be weaved of these three superb colors: yellow, red and green.
Let us welcome it and look forward to it! Thank you!
3.
Now more and more people are focusing on the nature. It is no doubt that the nature is important to every human being. No nature, no life. Because of the supplies of the nature, we have lived happily for a long time. And we started to gain every thing available from the nature. And this lasted so long a time. Today, people have discovered that the nature around is getting worse and worse.
What is threatening the nature? Air and water pollution, overharvesting of plant and animal species, overpopulation and so on. Overpopulation is the biggest source of pollution. Let's take overpopulation as an example. < /p>
What does overpopulation feel like? When we move slowly through the city in a tazi. When we enter a crowded slum district. When the temperature is high and when the air is thick with dust and smoke. The streets are Crowded with people. The streets seem alive with people. People eating. People washing. People talking. People sleeping. People visiting each other, arguing and screaming. People relieving themselves. People pushing their hands through the taxi windows, begging. People leading animals . People, people, people, people. As we drive slowly through the crowd, sounding the taxi's horn, the dust, heat, noise and cooking fires made it like a scene from hell! I admit, frightening.
To the nature, overpopulation is a big problem. More people, more pollution. And the big population is threatening the nature every second.
The rapid rise in world population is not creating problems only for the developing countries . The whole world faces the problem that raw materials are being used up at an increasing rate and food production can not keep up with the population increase. People in rich countries make the heaviest demands on the world's resources, its food, fuel and land, and cause the most pollution. A baby born in the United States will use in his lifetime 30 times more of the world's resources than a baby born in India. Unless all the countries of the world take united action to deal with the population explosion there will be more and more people fighting for a share of less and less land, food and fuel, and the future will bring poverty, misery and war to us all.
For most of the developing countries, it is a good idea to control the population growth. For example, China has carried out birth control for years. And this plan has a GREat effect on the world population.
If the population continues to increase, if the air and water continue to be polluted, if we don't do something to protect wild-plant and wildlife species will be declining. Species and biological communities have difficulty adapting to change. Economic opportunities and the quality of life of future generations are also put at risk . By protecting nature, we protect ourselves.
Let's unite together, hand in hand we stand all across the land.
We can make this world in which to live. Hand in hand . Control the population growth. Take good care of our nature.
This is an environmental English speech script found online