Life in the Year 2100
Since the 1950s, we have destroyed more than a third of our natural world. Our way of life has caused many serious environmental problems. We use huge amounts of natural resources and produce too much rubbish. Pollution is changing the Earth’s climate and our planet is getting hotter. The big question is : will things ever change for the better?
There are some scientists who are optimistic. They believe that with the help of science and strict laws today’s environmental problems will disappear in the future. Other scientists are pessimistic. They believe that environmental problems are getting worse and soon it will be too late to save the environment. Let’s see predictions the pessimistic and the optimistic scientists have made about life on Earth in the year 2100.
Pessimistic Scientists
The Earth’s population will probably be 22.2 billion!
The Earth’s temperature will be 1.4 to 5.8 °C higher than it is today. The ice at the North and South Pole will melt and the sea level will rise by 9 to 88 cm. Cities at or below sea level will sink.
Half of the Earth’s plants and animals will disappear along with the tropical rain forests.
We will use up all the Earth’s natural resources. People won’t be able to survive on Earth, so they will have to find a new planet live on.
Optimistic Scientists
The law will oblige families to have no more than one child, and this will reduce the Earth’s population to two billion.
People will use environmentally-friendly energy sources like the sun and the wind, which do not pollute the air, so the Earth’s temperature will not increase.
Strict laws will protect animal and plant species from extinction.
A population of two billion people will need fewer natural resources, so there will be enough food, water, etc. for everyone.
译文:
2100年的生活
2100年的生活
自从20世纪50年代开始，我们已经毁坏了大约三分之一的自然界。我们的生活方式已经引发出了诸多严重环境污染问题。我们在使用巨大的自然资源的同时也产生了太多的垃圾。污染问题正在改变着地球的气候，我们所生存的地球正变得越来越热。 关键的问题在于 : 情况究竟能否得以改善？
有一些保持乐观心态的科学家。他们相信在科学的帮助及严格的法律帮助下环境污染问题在未来将会消失。然而其它科学家们极为悲观。 他们相信环境污染问题会越来越糟并且拯救环境不久将会变得为时过晚。让我们了解科学家对2100年地球上的生活所做的悲观及乐观预测。
悲观的科学家
地球上的人口可能增至 22.2 十亿！
地球上的温度比起今天将会上升1.4至 5.8 °C 。北部及南极冰雪将会融化并且海平面将会上升 9 至 88 厘米。低于海平面的城市将会下沉。
地球上生活在热带雨林气候中的一半动物及植物将会消失。
我们将耗尽地球上的自然资源。人们也将无法生存在地球上。所以他们将不得不寻找新的星球生活。
乐观的科学家
法律将迫使家庭拥有不多于一个孩子，无疑这将会减少地球人口到20.0亿。
人们将使用环保的能源例如不污染空气的太阳和风，所以地球的温度将不会增加。
严格的法律将保护动物及频临灭绝的植物物种。
一个20亿的人口会需要较少的自然资源，所以对于每个人来说将会有足够多的食物，水等等。