What should the government do to improve the ecological situation in your region

5 ways our governments can confront climate change

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As individuals, we know about the small actions we can take to help reduce the emissions that cause climate change. But what can and should our governments do, seeing as their large-scale actions are fundamental to the welfare of their people?

Earth, we have a problem: we’re essentially melting.

High rates of greenhouse gas emissions, paired with environmental degradation and the overexploitation of natural resources, have us in a race against time. Ninety-seven percent of scientists agree that climate change is a result of human activities. And if we fail to stop global warming soon, the changes will be catastrophic.

Each year, at the United Nations climate conference, global leaders meet to discuss actions we can take to help prevent, and be better prepared for, climate change. At COP21 the first binding global climate accord, the Paris Agreement, was born. This year, during COP23, delegates seek to establish rules to allow for its proper implementation.

As individuals, most of us understand what we can do to reduce emissions: save energy, use the car less, recycle more, make better consumption choices, and engage in family planning.

But what can our governments do? To discuss their contribution is to talk about large-scale measures that are vital to ensuring a better future for all.

1. Protect and restore key ecosystems

Respect for nature is fundamental. Governments must protect ecosystems key to the fight against climate change: rivers, wetlands, oceans, forests and mangroves absorb large quantities of carbon, slowing warming. Mangroves also serve as a barrier against tropical storms, and wetlands absorb excess water from floods, both extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change.

“Healing the natural system is the most feasible, realistic and fair option, since it would benefit humanity and all species,” said Florencia Ortúzar, an attorney with AIDA’s Climate Change Program. “In terms of conservation and restoration, we’re in a race against time, and we’re already beginning to witness alarming natural phenomena, like forests so degraded they’re losing their ability to absorb carbon.”

2. Support small agricultural producers

According to the FAO, the meat industry is responsible for 15 to 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, exceeding even those of the transportation sector. In addition, it is the most significant source of water use and contamination in the world. Today, 80 percent of all agricultural production goes toward feeding animals not people. The expansion of land for livestock, and the crops to feed them, is the most significant cause of deforestation in the Amazon.

Governments can make a difference by supporting small local producers who, unlike large factory farms, employ sustainable practices, care about land restoration, benefit nearby communities, and make animals and crops more resilient to climate change. It’s less about everybody becoming vegetarians, but more about supporting those who produce our food with a respect for nature.

3. Promote green energy

Thirty-five percent of all global emissions come from energy production. But as countries bet on more development, they’re also betting on more energy production. But as countries bet on more development, they’re also betting on more energy.

While thermoelectric and hydroelectric energies were long considered the cheapest options, technological developments have allowed us to find better, cheaper, more efficient alternatives. With proper long-term planning, nations can avoid old climate-aggravating energy sources (hydropower is not green) and opt for small wind, solar, geothermal, oceanic and other projects that adapt to a place’s unique characteristics.

“When thinking about energy, it’s best to bet on a diversified matrix, prioritizing projects that are close to places where people need energy, saving on losses and infrastructure,” Ortúzar explained. “We must give absolute priority to the protection of nature. Every action, public policy, or strategy should be analyzed with nature in mind, and the production of energy is a good starting point.”

4. Combat short-lived climate pollutants

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most infamous greenhouse gas. Since it remains in the atmosphere for centuries (even millennia), even if we stopped all its emissions sources today, the effects of climate change would continue. The good news is that other contaminants exist that contribute to climate change and only last a few days or years in the atmosphere. They’re known as short-lived climate pollutants, and they’re responsible for 30 to 45 percent of the emissions that cause global warming.

These pollutants include black carbon (soot), methane, ozone, and the hydro fluorocarbons found in refrigerants. Their effective control, through national policies and regulations, could accelerate the fight against climate change in the short term. In addition, because they cause serious air pollution, measures to mitigate them would directly benefit human health.

5. Bet on adaptation, not just mitigation

In the fight against climate change, work aimed at reducing emissions, stopping their effects and diminishing future consequences is known as mitigation. It is important. However, some communities are already experiencing tragic consequences due to changes in climate over a short period of time. So we also must act to prevent catastrophes, increase resilience, and reduce vulnerability, which is known as adaptation.

Projects to mitigate emissions are more attractive financially than those designed for adaptation, which are generally focused on the most vulnerable communities. But it is important to give adaptation the significance it deserves in recognition of the fact that the impacts of climate change are already a grave reality for many.

At this year’s COP, representatives are discussing a “loss and damage” mechanism, referring to the compensation that developed countries – the main causes of climate change – must make to developing countries, which suffer significant losses due to adverse climate effects, Ortúzar explained. Our governments must support these discussions and commit to the effective use of resources, so all the world’s people can be better prepared for, and help to prevent, greater changes to our climate.

How can the government help save the environment?

First of all, government should identify the environmental problems and try to solve it. Secondly, it should launch the awareness raising programmes to make each citizen aware and concerned about environmental problems. Educational institutions should be encouraged to include ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY in their course as compulsory so that each student may have idea about protection of earth. Development activities of government should be environment friendly and not beyond earth’s carrying capacity. It should launch conserving programmes like afforestation, dam construction etc.

Government can introduce strict laws for heading towards eco-friendly progress and also can impose strict control over use of plastics, emission of GHGs etc. The environmental policy; laws and rules should be understood by the public; government; industry; the ministry of environment and forest in simple language. The law should have the same meaning in word; paper and action to all those concerned. The environmental department should be visible to the people.

We the people should pressurise the govt in implementing the laws relating to the development of the environment. The govt must aim at achieving «ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY». The people too, need to feel the responsibility of saving the environment and use its resources judiciously. This way the people along with govt can restore the peace of the environment and make our planet EARTH a healthy and a peaceful place to live.

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IELTS Topic: Environment

Vocab & Idioms

Go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.

Vocabulary/ Expressions

Part 1 Questions

Here are possible questions that might come up during the test. Go over them with your tutor.

Topic

Part 2&3 Questions

Here are possible questions that might come up during the test. Go over them with your tutor.

Sample A

Part 2 Questions

Part 3 Questions

Sample B

Part 2 Questions

Part 3 Questions

Sample C

Part 2 Questions

Part 3 Questions

Sample Answers

Here are some sample answers. Go over them with your tutor.

Part 1 Questions

Part 2&3 Answers

Here are some sample answers. Go over them with your tutor.

Sample A

Part 2 Questions

One of the biggest problems in the USA is air pollution, largely in big cities. Since I’m from a small town, I don’t see this problem, but when I go to a city like New York City I’m shocked with the heavy smog that fills the air. One time I couldn’t see the top of the skyscrapers because the it was so bad. Just as a note, I know this problem doesn’t exist only in the USA. I’ve seen pictures of other cities such as Beijing China, Santiago Chile, and Bangkok Thailand. It appears the problem is worse in these cities.

I’m not sure how long the USA has had this problem, but I’m sure it has existed for a long time. I would guess the problem started during the industrial revolution and when gas powered cars started becoming popular. Ever since, I would think, it has gotten worse and worse.

Unfortunately, when there’s prolonged heavy air pollution, it causes several problems like permanent health effects, acid rain that contaminates the earth’s water, and damage to plants and animals.

Now, I want to talk a little about the health problems that air pollution causes. We as humans breath in this polluted air, which can cause respiratory problems. Just think about the effects of cigarette smoke on the lungs. Well, breathing in contaminated air has a similar effect. One more deadly medical condition iis cancer. It’s documented that breathing in smog can cause lung cancer.

So, people ask what can be done about air pollution. The simple answer is to reduce it. However, the more difficult part is actually doing it. A couple of ways would be to replace gas powered car engines with environmentally friendly electric ones, umm, reduce toxic emissions from industrial plants, better education, and promote public awareness.

I hope someday the air quality improves throughout the world or we are in deep water in the future.

Part 3 Questions

Sample B

Part 2 Questions

To be honest, I don’t follow the international or local news so this question is difficult to answer. Having said that, I’m going to talk about an environmental disaster that happened several years ago. I think I will always remember this event, which was the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska. This man-made catastrophe was in the news for several weeks and the cleanup lasted for, I think, a few years.

The news coverage showed the devastation to the natural habitat along the entire western coast of Alaska. Since millions of gallons of oil was spilled in the Pacific Ocean, I’m sure the terrible effects of the toxic water was not just in the vicinity of the spill. The photos and videos of the damage that occurred were impressionable and bleak. I had a hard time understanding how such an evident could occur.

An oil tanker ran aground and If I recall correctly, it was due to faulty radar equipment and human error by the ship’s crew. I believe the captain of the ship was, umm, blamed for the devastating environmental disaster even though he was sleeping at the time.

The aftermath was a terrible sight for the eyes. Wildlife like birds, otters, fish, and other sea creatures were covered in oil and some barely alive. Other photos showed the natural land like plants and earth covered in the thick gooey oil. I was filled with disgust and wanted to help, but I couldn’t. I have to give credit to all the cleanup volunteers and to the people and businesses who donated money.

I know accidents happen, but this accident was avoidable. I think I read later that some of the crew and the company were held accountable for their actions or lack thereof. I’m not sure what the penalties were, but I don’t think they were severe enough for what happened and the degree of negligence on the part of the company and ship crew.

What is a couple million dollars in fines to a huge company like Exxon Mobil? …Nothing!

Part 3 Questions

Sample C

Part 2 Questions

Noisy conditions are the reason why I don’t like living in big cities or crowded neighborhoods.

Back in 2010, I was living in a residential area in Santiago Chile and my home was in a gated community where the townhouses are connected. My place was an end unit so there was only one other home connected to mine and 2 others unconnected, one to the back and the other to the right. Out of all the neighbors, the one to the back was the loudest. They were obnoxiously loud, especially at night on the weekends between 12 – 4 am.

So just imagine 10-15 young immature adults who are drinking beer, playing loud music, and trying to talk over the loud music. It was unbearable! To make it worse, my bedroom was in the back and I slept with the windows open because I didn’t have air conditioning and it was extremely hot during the nights in the summer. Even sleeping in my front room was disruptive to my sleep. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.

I tried to ask them to keep the noise down to no avail. My next step was to call the police, but one of my other neighbors said they did that and the police did nothing. I guess I was expected to put up with it regardless of not being able to sleep. Thankfully, they didn’t party loudly every weekend.

Until this day, that particular neighbor still ranks as the worst and rudest one I had in my life, hands down. The complete and utter disrespect for others was unbelieveable. The only thing they cared about was themselves and having fun.

I can only imagine what the noise pollution is like living in a crowded city day everyday and night. No thank you, not for me! I’ll take any humble abode in the countryside over a city home in a noisy environment.

Part 3 Questions

Speak about the most important environmental issues in Moscow

Cars account for 90% of air pollution in Moscow while only 10% is down to industry. The situation can be remedied if drivers start using high-quality fuel and the city government starts banning vehicles that fail to meet certain environmental standards from entering the city. Moreover, the use of hybrid cars will also make a significant contribution to air quality. Today such cars are mainly manufactured in Japan and the United States and I would be glad to see Russian car makers start producing hybrid cars, too.
Another measure would be to create jobs in the Moscow Region so that fewer people have to work in Moscow itself, introduce staggered shift patterns and upgrade the internal combustion engines used in municipal transport, including buses. There is technology for diesel engines that help cut emissions dramatically.

Overpopulation causes many problems. Moscow produces about 22 million tons of waste per year, including bulk waste, residential solid waste, industrial and construction site waste and that from water treatment facilities. Waste incinerators burn about 773,500 tons of this waste, mainly municipal solid waste.
Seventy percent of Muscovites live in unacceptable noise conditions which points to the detrimental effects of traffic and construction noise on the city’s health.

The city’s environment watchdog is warning that noise pollution has reached unprecedented levels and is recommending better sound insulation for buildings, and stiffer fines for persistent noise polluters.

Discuss

What measures should be undertaken by the local and federal governments to improve the ecological situation in Russia?

D: Don’t you mind if I start?

D: Industrialization has brought us into conflict with the natural environment. Our environment is in danger; air, water and land pollution have disastrous consequences which threaten human life. Our authorities should take some steps to prevent disastrous effects. In my book, to reduce air and noise pollution, for example, in Moscow, it would be great to make our city more pedestrian oriented. What I mean is to ban traffic in the city centre. What do you feel about it?

J: I absolutely agree! Moreover, solution of this problem can be to create jobs in the Moscow Region so that fewer people have to work in Moscow itself, and upgrading the internal combustion engines used in municipal transport, including buses. There is technology for diesel engines that help cut emissions dramatically.What your opinion?

D: Great point! You know, there are lots of modern eco-friendly technologies for cars. Not only diesel engines, but electronic engines, which are used in new model of car called Tesla, which you can charge in the street using special electronic stations. And what about land pollution? It is widespread in Russia. There are lots of huge dumps in Moscow suburbs. I reckon, we should improve recycling industry to minimize the litter accumulation. Sorting the rubbish will help us to cope with this problem. Don’t you think so?

J: You are right! In our country recycling plants aren’t widespread although problem of utilization of waste is pointed. For example in Moscow there are only two waste facilities, though Moscow produces about 22 million tons of waste per year. Unfortunately, if we take into account the present cost of secondary resources, this recycling system turns out to be economically unprofitable and cannot be widely introduced.

J: Yes, it is great problem. For example, cellulose plant near the Lake Baikal, threaten the whole ecosystem. I think that whoever causes pollution should have to pay to clean it up, one way or another. What do you think?

D: I could not agree more! They are responsible for the consequences of their actions. Well, I think, that we have discussed all the main points and gave reasonable reccomendations. Nevertheless, there are lots of other enviromental problems that need to be discussed.

J: yes, you are spot on.

Follow-up questions

How can the use of biodegradable packaging and environmentally friendly products improve the ecological situation?

Eco-friendly packaging is usually made from recycled materials, reducing the waste of natural resources in production. Even specific ingredients, such as soy ink, used in eco-friendly packaging will help the environment.

To what extent can changes an individual can make in their lifestyle save natural resources?

Start by living with a greater awareness of the resources that you use in your daily life. Pay attention to how you choose to heat, to travel, to use water and use products that were made by manufacturing practices. Awareness is what will allow you to then begin to make environmentally friendly choices.

How does man’s careless attitude to nature affect our environment?

It was 100 years ago that concerns were raised on continued burning of fossil fuels which would contribute to increased levels of carbon dioxide to earth’s atmosphere and lead the way for climate change. The rapid industrialization and careless attitude by the mankind lead to environmental deterioration.

Is your lifestyle environmentally friendly?

Ecological situation in Russia. Solving the problems of ecology

The ecological situation in the world is on the verge of collapsecatastrophe. And although numerous «green» organizations, funds for the conservation of nature and its resources, state institutions of all countries try to overcome the consequences of human economic activity, it is impossible to fundamentally correct the situation. The thoughtless use of the Earth’s wealth, irresponsibility, material interest of the largest corporations, globalization lead to the fact that the ecological situation does not improve.

Problems of Ecology in the World

For the sake of justice I would like to note that the countrieswith a developed economy, high standards of living standards can boast a high level of protection of nature, a culture of ecology. In many countries of Europe, America, Japan try to minimize the consequences of the human hand. At the same time, the level of education of citizens is increasing, which are tried at the everyday level to be attached to processes that contribute to the preservation and purity of the environment. But at the same time, serious gaps in such activities in developing countries, and even more so in the lagging regions of the planet, all efforts to at least somehow secure nature are being killed. Unthinking deforestation, pollution of reservoirs with industrial waste, products of vital activity, absolutely irresponsible attitude to the land fund is evident.

Ecology of Russia

Unfortunately, Russia belongs to the list of countries,the environmental situation in which the worst. This state of affairs is conditioned by various factors and manifests itself in all spheres. Traditionally, the greatest damage to indicators comes from the impact of industry. Economic crises that pursue both world and domestic economies, one by one, contribute to a decline in production. It is logical to assume that this should reduce emissions of harmful substances into the outside world, but alas, here the boomerang effect is triggered. Lack of working capital, forcing enterprises to save even more. This is primarily due to the elimination of modernization programs, installation of purification facilities.

But not only in large megacities and industrialregions, the situation causes great concern. Uneven cutting of coniferous forests, neglect of leafy plantations, negligence of local authorities and citizens provoke the destruction of 20% of the world’s total stock of arboreal lands.

Emission of sewage into rivers and lakes, artificialdrainage of marshy areas, plowing of coastal areas and sometimes vandal mining is a reality that exists, and the ecological situation in Russia deteriorates daily due to this.

How to assess the real situation in the natural environment?

Only truthful and adequate monitoring, whichwill hold really independent experts in the field of ecology, can give a clear picture. Alas, the reality is that even world-renowned organizations are often subordinate branches of large corporations and operate under their dictation, taking a position advantageous to the monopolist.

Ministry of Environment of the Russian Federation

Earth is our everything!

The agro-industrial complex does not accidentally occupyone of the most important places in the economy. The area of ​​agricultural land occupies more than 600 million hectares. This figure is colossal, no other country in the world has such a resource, wealth. Powers that really care about their soil, intended for growing crops used in food and light industry, prefer not to exploit the land mercilessly.

Modern ways of doing business basedon farms in developed countries are arranged in such a way that land owners take care of their “breadwinner”, and as a return they receive higher yields, respectively, and income.

Water situation

The beginning of the two thousand years was markedthe awareness that freshwater sources throughout the world are in a catastrophic state. Such an environmental problem and environmental situation, such as pollution and shortage of drinking water, is fraught with the extinction of man as a species. The seriousness of the issue made it more responsible to control water quality. However, weak attempts to bring water resources to normal levels have not yet been crowned with success.

The fact is that the most populatedit is the southern and central regions. They are concentrated and the largest industrial capacity of the country, the highest indicator of development of agriculture. The number of reservoirs suitable for supporting the people’s industry, on the contrary, is not as high as necessary. The intense load on the existing rivers has led to the fact that some of them have practically disappeared, some are so polluted that their use is absolutely impossible.

There is an improvement in the ecological situation, but this applies to reservoirs that are under strict control. The figures that characterize the general situation are catastrophic:

What do we breathe?

Averages show thatThe current environmental situation in the airspace has improved somewhat in recent years. However, the statistics are good only on paper; in reality, the drop in harmful emissions occurred at an insignificant level, and in some regions has increased in general. Every year 18 thousand enterprises across the country emit more than 24 million tons of harmful substances into the atmosphere.

The most critical environmental situationtaking shape in cities such as Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Kemerovo, Grozny, Arkhangelsk, Novosibirsk. The list of cities with an unfavorable atmospheric background totals 41 positions throughout the country.

Urboecology

It is urban residents who most often suffer frombad air, dirty water, lack of food marked “clean”. In large cities, for example in Moscow, officials are trying to establish a framework for enterprises, create modern cleaning stations, and modernize collector systems and water supply. Such actions of the authorities were able to raise this year the capital from 68th place to 33rd in terms of pollution in the overall ranking of cities in the country. But at the same time these measures are not enough. Every summer, residents of large cities suffer from smog, smoke, high levels of gases in the atmosphere.

Urban sprawl and high concentrationpopulation in a small area threatens the depletion of natural resources in urban areas. Unfulfilled energy conservation policies and the failure to comply with international regulations on ensuring safe industrial activities also undermine the balance in nature. Thus, the ecological situation of the city can not please.

Yes, and the adult population of cities have reasonsfor concern. Life expectancy of citizens and inhabitants of the territories falling under the category of environmentally unfriendly, on average, is 10-15 years lower.

Collection, recycling and recycling

The problem of environmental pollution by waste is notnew and lies on the surface literally. The tendency to the burial of waste has become obsolete and leads to the systematic transformation of the country into one large burial ground. Realizing that at a pace by which the population and industry produce waste, this perspective is getting closer, the Ministry of Ecology decided to create a new direction in its work. Namely, the organization of centers for the collection, sorting and processing of various waste for recyclables.

All the same West attended to this issuea few decades ago. The amount of non-recyclable waste they do not exceed 20%, while in Russia this figure is four times higher. But according to the optimistic plans of the country’s leadership, the situation will change and by 2020 it will reach full-fledged waste processing with their subsequent implementation in industry and energy. This formulation of the task is very good, because in the case of ambitious plans, one can hope for favorable environmental situations and conditions in the country.

Disasters of recent years

In the meantime, you have to reap the benefits andcontent with what is. But the reality is that the current environmental situation is annually undermined and flares up in different places, showing all the gaps in the system of environmental protection.

According to activists, lately residentsRussia had to face problems in different regions of the country. So, in the Sverdlovsk region, in the Zhelezyanka River, the level of iron and manganese in water exceeds the norm by 22 and 25 thousand times, respectively! Such figures are not amenable to any common sense, and the situation is aggravated. Given that local authorities are inactive.

Frequent cases of fuel ejectionmining and transportation are also vividly illustrated by examples of environmental situations. Oil, fuel oil, spilling over water, lead to the death of birds, animals, pollution of both the water bodies and groundwater. It also happened when in November of this year an accident occurred with the tanker “Nadezhda” off the coast of Sakhalin.

Environmentalists around the world are sounding the alarm for the sake of salvationLake Baikal. Russia’s pride may soon partially turn into a swamp. Receiving detergents into its water, sewage from collectors, provokes abundant flowering of water. Toxic substances do not just pollute the water, but cause the extinction of the unique flora and various living organisms living in the lake.

Ways to solve problems in ecology

The environmental situation in Russia requiresearly intervention. Passive observation, which is now engaged in the state, is fraught with serious problems. The main paths that need to be developed concern absolutely all levels of a person.

It is very important to engender in every citizen the basics.ecological culture. After all, even the best bills and programs of officials will not be able to overcome the problem if society is not concerned about this. Although often it is precisely it that deals with the elimination of catastrophes, the purification of coastal zones, parks, recreation areas, which is good news.

The introduction of energy-efficient technologies at all levels, from private households to large industrial enterprises, is a priority task that must be solved in the coming years.

The use of natural resources, theirextraction, recovery can not remain unresolved. To leave the next generations an opportunity for existence, it is necessary not to rely entirely on the independent revival of its natural wealth. A man differs from other inhabitants of the planet in that he is rational, which means that this mind must be shown not only for consumption, but also for the creation of something worthwhile!