Тематичний модуль з охорони довкілля

 

 

 

ПРАКТИКУМ ПО КУЛЬТУРЕ РЕЧЕВОГО ОБЩЕНИЯ

 

Киев 2010

Разработано Кварцяным А.А. в качестве учебного пособия для учащихся старших классов специализированных школ и студентов высших учебных заведений.

 

КУРС: АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

ПРАКТИКУМ ПО КУЛЬТУРЕ РЕЧЕВОГО ОБЩЕНИЯ

 

МОДУДЬ ИЗ ПЯТИ УРОКОВ

 

В представленном вашему вниманию модуле речь идет об охране окружающей среды в Великобритании и Соединенных Штатах. Рассматриваются основные темы, связанные с государственными и общественными организациями, занимающимися охраной окружающей среды, изучаются городские и национальные парки, их флора и фауна, поднимаются основные вопросы, связанные с проблемами современной экологии.

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

ОГЛАВЛЕНИЕ

ДИДАКТИЧЕСКИЙ ПЛАН

ЛИТЕРАТУРА

ПЕРЕЧЕНЬ УМЕНИЙ

LESSON 1/УРОК 1

ОХРАНА ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ В ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ

LESSON 2/УРОК 2

ОХРАНА ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ В США

LESSON 3/УРОК 3

ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫЕ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ И США ПО ЗАЩИТЕ ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ

LESSON 4/УРОК 4

НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЕ ЗАПОВЕДНИКИ ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ И США

LESSON 5/УРОК 5

ОХРАНА ОЗОНОВОГО СЛОЯ ЗЕМЛИ

ГЛОССАРИЙ

 

ДИДАКТИЧЕСКИЙ ПЛАН

 

Охрана окружающей среды в Великобритании.

Охрана окружающей среды в США.

Общественные организации Великобритании и США по защите окружающей среды.

Национальные заповедники Великобритании и США.

Охрана озонового слоя Земли.

 

ЛИТЕРАТУРА

Базовая

*1. Leo Jones. New progress to First certificate. Cambridge University Press, 1996.

2. John and Liz Soars. Headway pre-Intermediate. Oxford University Press, 1993.

 

Дополнительная

*3. www.linguapanorama.com.

*4. http://esl.about.com.

5. Business Dictionary. English-Russian. L&H Publishing Co., 1994.

6. Англо-русский словарь / Под. ред. В.К. Мюллера. М., 1991.

7. Жданова И.Ф., Вартумян Э.Л. Англо-русский экономический словарь. М., 2000.

8. Brendan Moore. Business for the office. Phoenix, 1996.

9. Soars J., Soars L., Headway Intermediate. Oxford University press, 1995.

10. Аракин В.Д. Селянина Л.И. и др. Практический курс английского языка. М.: Владос, 1998.

Примечание. Знаком (*) отмечены работы, на основе которых составлен тематический обзор.

 

ПЕРЕЧЕНЬ УМЕНИЙ

№ п/п	Умения	Алгоритмы
1	Обобщение материала в сжатом виде	1. Прочитайте документ. 2. Определите основную идею. 3. Выделите второстепенные проблемы, поставленные автором. 4. Найдите в тексте слова-связки. 5. Составьте план. 6. Своими словами изложите суть прочитанного, обращая внимание на организационное построение текста (вступление, основная часть, заключение), оформите письменно с помощью слов-связок
2	Составление (написание) рассказа по теме	1. Определите главную цель рассказа. 2. Выделите основную и второстепенные идеи. 3. Составьте план рассказа. 4. Определите лексический материал, который вы должны использовать в своем рассказе. 5. Подготовьте вступительную часть и заключение. 6. Изложите письменно, обращая внимание на правила (организацию) построения связного текста
3	Ролевая игра	1. Определите основную тематику игры, пред­ставьте участников ситуации. 2. Рассмотрите возможное развитие событий. 3. Представьте проблему с различных точек зрения. 4. Обобщите материал, разыграйте ситуацию от лица всех участников. 5. По возможности разыграйте ситуацию со своими коллегами
4.	Нахождение эквивалентов	1. Внимательно прочитайте данные слова или фразы. 2. Выясните значения слов. 3. Соедините эквиваленты
5.	Составление доклада по теме	1. Подберите тему доклада. 2. В Интернете, прессе или специальной литературе найдите необходимую информацию. 3. Выделите самую важную по вашему мнению информацию и запишите ее. 4. Подготовьте краткий рассказ на память по проблеме. 5. Представьте рассказ на занятии

 

LESSON 1                         УРОК 1

ОХРАНА ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ В ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ

DEFRA

DEFRA, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, deals with the essentials of life – food, air, land, water and people.

So, its success matters to everyone. Our remit is the pursuit of sustainable development – weaving together economic, social and environmental concerns.

Hence, DEFRA:

• brings all aspects of environment, rural, farming and food production policy together for the first time;

• is a focal point for all rural policy, for people, the economy and the environment; and

• has roles in both EU and global policymaking and so its work has a strong international dimension.

Since the Department was created last June we have already had some notable international successes on the environment, agriculture and trade fronts, and also at home in environmental and rural policy. Mercifully, the foot and mouth outbreak, which did so much harm to farming and rural areas, is largely over. I recognise that there are lessons to be learned from this outbreak, and look forward to the reports of the independent inquiries the Government has established.

Our vision

Our vision of the future is of a world in which climate change and environmental degradation are recognized and addressed by all nations and where low carbon emissions and the efficient use of environmental resources are at the heart of our whole way of life. Where, here in the UK, rural communities are diverse, economically and environmentally viable, and socially inclusive with high quality public services and real opportunities for all. A country where the food, fishing and farming industries are not dependent on output related subsidies, but work closely together and with Government to produce safe, nutritious food which contributes positively to consumer choice and the health of the whole nation. A place where we manage the land in a way that recognises its many functions, from production through to recreation; where we seek to promote biodiversity on land and in our seas; and where animal welfare and protection against animal disease is at the core of the way in which we farm and live. Through the practice of sustainable development, economic, environmental and social, we will achieve our vision.

 

DEFRA’s aim and objectives

Aim: Sustainable development, which means a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come, including:

• a better environment at home and internationally, and sustainable use of natural resources;

• economic prosperity through sustainable farming, fishing, food, water and other industries that meet consumers’ requirements;

• thriving economies and communities in rural areas and a countryside for all to enjoy.

 

Objective 1

To protect and improve the rural, urban, marine and global environment and conserve and enhance biodiversity, and to lead integration of these with other policies across Government and internationally.

 

Objective 2

To enhance opportunity and tackle social exclusion through promoting sustainable rural areas with a dynamic and inclusive economy, strong rural communities and fair access to services.

 

Objective 3

To promote a sustainable, competitive and safe food supply chain which meets consumers’ requirements.

 

Objective 4

To improve enjoyment of an attractive and well-managed countryside for all.

 

Objective 5

To promote sustainable, diverse, modern and adaptable farming through domestic and international actions and further ambitious CAP reform.

 

Objective 6

To promote sustainable management and prudent use of natural resources domestically and internationally.

 

Objective 7

To protect the public’s interest in relation to environmental impacts and health, including in relation to diseases which can be transmitted through food, water and animals, and to ensure high standards of animal health and welfare.

 

What we will do:

• We will launch a new sustainable food and farming strategy and an organic food and farming action plan. We are developing ideas for whole farm plans to reduce environmental damage and bureaucracy.

• We will carry out a review of the best means of reducing water pollution from agriculture, one of the major sources of diffuse pollution alongside urban areas.

• We will work with DTLR to see that the planning system takes full account of environmental, social and rural economic considerations.

• We will make improvements in the protection and management of common land, to be implemented when Parliamentary time allows.

• We will follow on from recommendations by the Performance and Innovation Unit and set out government action to promote resource productivity, including action on procurement.

• We will work with the DTLR and the DTI, and we will launch targets and mechanisms to make the UK a world leader in low-carbon and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

• We will develop a Domestic Energy Efficiency Strategy to 2010 that builds on the Energy Efficiency Commitment starting in April 2002 and the work of the Energy Saving Trust.

• We will publish a long-term strategy for the water industry.

• We will publish a Water Environment Strategy later this year.

• We are developing the follow-up to the Soil Strategy for England.

• We will work to reform the Common Fisheries Policy.

• We will lead the Government’s Marine Stewardship Report to achieve safe, productive and protected oceans and seas.

• We will extend our protection of marine wildlife under EU legislation beyond territorial waters.

• We will start a two-year pilot project in the Irish Sea in April 2002 to find out what is needed for regional marine conservation.

• We will bring forward legislation to implement recommendations from the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review Group’s report, as Parliamentary time permits.

• We will work to maintain the moratorium on whaling at this year’s annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Japan. We will continue to protest about Japanese so-called ‘scientific whaling’ and Norway’s legal but undesirable commercial whaling.

 

Exercise 1. Match the words and their translations.

climate change environmental degradation low carbon emissions environment biodiversity sustainable development economic prosperity environmental damage pollution wildlife whaling

живая природа загрязнение изменение климата китобойный промысел нанесение ущерба окружающей среде низкое выделение углерода окружающая среда разнообразие биологических видов устойчивое развитие ухудшение окружающей среды экономическое процветание

 

Exercise 2. Say if the sentences are true or false.

1. DEFRA, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, deals with the essentials of life – food, air, land, water and people.

2. Our remit is the pursuit of sustainable development – dividing economic, social and environmental concerns.

3. Since the Department was created last June we have not had any notable international successes on the environment, agriculture and trade fronts.

4. Our vision of the future is of a world in which climate change and environmental degradation are recognized and addressed by all nations and where low carbon emissions and the efficient use of environmental resources are at the heart of our whole way of life.

5. A country where the food, fishing and farming industries are not dependent on output related subsidies, but work closely together and with Government to produce safe, nutritious food which does not contribute positively to consumer choice and the health of the whole nation.

6. Sustainable development means a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.

 

Exercise 3. Make sentences using the following words and expressions:

1. climate change– impact – life – generations

2. environmental degradation – prevent – all efforts

3. low carbon emissions – ensure – to prevent – environmental damage

4. biodiversity – important – conservation – environment

5. sustainable development – mean – economic- development – conservation – environment

6. economic prosperity – must – damage – not – environment

7. pollution – reduction – important – conservation – wildlife

8. whaling – must – prohibit

 

Exercise 4. Read the text again and find Present and Past Participles. Explain their use.

 

Exercise 5. Fill in the gaps with appropriate form of Participle.

DEFRA provides the regulatory framework within which the water industry operates.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate and the Environment Agency, which are part of DEFRA, are responsible for enforcing quality standards.

OFWAT is the economic regulator. England and Wales are unique in _______ (rely) – and ____ (do) so successfully – on the private sector to own and deliver this essential service and meet environmental, economic and social objectives together. Our water industry is ________ (lead) by example at an international level by _______ (use) market-based mechanisms to achieve fair pricing for consumers and business and high environmental standards.

With air and water, soil is a key resource to support human life. Our new sustainable agriculture strategy will help to ensure that farmers use soil in a sustainable way. Our cross-cutting soil strategy highlights the need for policies across government to recognize the value of soil as a resource for future generations.

There are potentially enormous financial and carbon savings to be _______ (grasp) from energy efficiency across the UK economy. We have set out a range of possible measures to get the Combined Heat and Power industry __________ (grow) again.

For business, the Climate Change Levy package provides a powerful incentive to use energy more efficiently. The work of the Carbon Trust, _______ (fund) by DEFRA and by _____ (recycle) Climate Change Levy receipts, will become increasingly important in ________ (move) business and the public sector towards low carbon energy solutions.

The Government’s first ever Fuel Poverty Strategy sets out measures to make sure that by 2010 no low-income or disabled household will need to spend more than 10 per cent of its household income on fuel to keep warm. Over the last five years, one-and a-half million households have been removed from this category of __________ (spend) more than 10 per cent of income on heating. To build on this, we will pilot the use of cutting-edge technology to provide individual homes with both central heating and electricity and renewable energy-based solutions.

We need new policies to stop waste ______(be) ___________ (produce) in the first place, to increase recycling, to find new markets for recycled products and to develop new disposal technologies.

 

Exercise 6. Find out about Russian Governmental Body on Environmental protection and make a report.

Exercise 7. Read and sum up the text in 250 words.

A better environment and wise use of resources

We are all familiar with the looming deadlines which environmental damage imposes on us all.

These need to be tackled by creating economic opportunity, promoting social well-being in parallel to protecting the environment.

This is something to which we must all contribute – as businesses, individuals and Government; in town and country; at home and abroad. The way to address environmental damage is to engage everyone and to show them we can do it while enhancing their economic and social well-being. This is sustainable development. The impact of climate change, for example, is already beginning to transform our lives. The changes it will bring are already happening.

This forces us to consider how we deal with what is already inevitable; how we prevent still further deterioration and how we reverse damage that is already done. It has been realised that to do so, we must take account of three principal areas of decision and policy making. Sustainable development matters to people because it affects their livelihoods and immediate environment: their employment prospects, the air they breathe, the water and food they need, and the land and seas around them.

Sustainable development means thinking in an integrated way about economic, environmental and social objectives. It matters to people because it is an approach which demonstrates that government is interested in the long term as well as the short term. The public will join us in taking a longer-term view, using tools such as appraisal and selected indicators to inform our decision-making; and rethinking the way we do things, rather than settling for trade-offs. DEFRA leads across government on sustainable development, including on integration of sustainable development considerations into the work of all other departments. But to be a credible leader, we must also practise what we preach. We will publish our own strategy this year outlining our actions on the main issues we deal with for government.

Already we have:

• played a key role in negotiating the legal texts for implementing the Kyoto protocol on climate change at Marrakesh;

• designed the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

• secured a widely-praised outcome on fisheries’ quotas at the December 2001 Fisheries Council;

• initiated a new cross-government review into waste strategy launched by Margaret Beckett at the first ever waste summit;

• announced that we will take forward a new strategy for food and farming, promoting the principles of sustainable development;

• implemented new safeguards to protect uncultivated land from agricultural intensification;

• launched new business guidelines on environmental reporting with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI); and

• consulted on developing an Ambient Noise Strategy for England and will begin shortly to map the main sources and areas of ambient noise.

DEFRA has a specific remit for protecting the environment. We work very closely with the Environment Agency. Some of the most important work involves implementing EU Directives; leading on environmental law; and leading the development of ‘smart’ regulation to simplify environmental laws and make them ‘fit for purpose’.

Global leadership to meet global challenges

We aim to be the world leader in protecting the environment and are among the international leaders on climate change, in the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and in the conservation of endangered species, and we play an important role within the World Trade Organization, for example on agriculture and environment. We want the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 to deliver practical outcomes on poverty and environmental degradation (particularly on access to clean water, oceans and sustainable energy), and to engage private sector expertise.

We are looking for new measures for global wildlife conservation at a series of international conferences in autumn 2002.

Our countryside, towns and cities are all important for the quality of life they offer. Our rural areas in particular are important for landscapes, wildlife and biodiversity – the variety of life on earth. We must protect the most valuable elements in our countryside, which includes protecting them from the effects of development, unsustainable land use and climate change. DEFRA will apply the principles of sustainable development to its policies for wildlife, landscapes, farming and rural issues.

We have already made progress. In the New Forest and on the South Downs, two new National Parks are being considered, and all National Parks are benefiting from increased funding. We are reviewing the operation of National Parks.

We are implementing the new provisions of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 for better protection and management of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. And we are paying 14,000 farmers and landowners under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (increasing by 2,500 a year until 2005) and 11,500 farmers and landowners in Environmentally Sensitive Areas to manage land in ways that encourage wildlife, protect landscape and reduce pollution. We will begin a major review of these schemes this year.

We will encourage everybody – across government, in business and in communities – to think about the needs of wildlife as they go about their business.

Our strategy for sustainable farming and our new focus on marine environment will make vital contributions to wildlife. We work through English Nature, the government body responsible for wildlife conservation, and many partners in and out of government. Our work includes:

• a Biodiversity Strategy for England setting out how our work helps wildlife, to be launched in 2002;

• protecting special places for wildlife and bringing 95 per cent of sites of special scientific interest into good condition by 2010 (compared with 58 per cent now);

• working towards our target of reversing the long-term decline of farmland birds;

• working with partners to implement 436 biodiversity action plans for species and habitats at risk; and

• in April 2002, launching a new National Wildlife Crime Intelligence Unit to combat crime against wildlife at home and overseas. In summer 2002, our policy review will report on how best to deal with invasive non-native species that threaten wildlife.

 

Vocabulary

climate change	изменение климата
environmental degradation	ухудшение окружающей среды
low carbon emissions	низкое выделение углерода
environment	окружающая среда
biodiversity	разнообразие биологических видов
sustainable development	устойчивое развитие
economic prosperity	экономическое процветание
environmental damage	нанесение ущерба окружающей среде
pollution	загрязнение
wildlife	живая природа
whaling	китобойный промысел

 

LESSON 2                         УРОК 2

ОХРАНА ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ В США

Environment Protection Agency:

EPA’s mission is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment – air, water, and land – upon which life depends. For 30 years, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.

EPA employs 18,000 people across the country, including our headquarters offices in Washington, DC, 10 regional offices, and more than a dozen labs. Our staff are highly educated and technically trained; more than half are engineers, scientists, and policy analysts. In addition, a large number of employees are legal, public affairs, financial, information management and computer specialists. EPA is led by the Administrator, who is appointed by the President of the United States.

EPA leads the nation’s environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts.

Develop and enforce regulations: EPA works to develop and enforce regulations that implement environmental laws enacted by Congress. EPA is responsible for researching and setting national standards for a variety of environmental programs, and delegates to states and tribes the responsibility for issuing permits and for monitoring and enforcing compliance. Where national standards are not met, EPA can issue sanctions and take other steps to assist the states and tribes in reaching the desired levels of environmental quality.

Offer financial assistance: In recent years, between 40 and 50 percent of EPA’s enacted budgets have provided direct support through grants to State environmental programs. EPA grants to States, non-profits and educational institutions support high-quality research that will improve the scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues and help EPA achieve its goals.

· EPA provides research grants and graduate fellowships.

· The Agency supports environmental education projects that enhance the public’s awareness, knowledge, and skills to make informed decisions that affect environmental quality.

· The Agency also offers information for state and local governments and small businesses on financing environmental services and projects.

· EPA also provides other financial assistance through programs as the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and the Brownfields Program.

Perform environmental research: At laboratories located throughout the nation, the Agency works to assess environmental conditions and to identify, understand, and solve current and future environmental problems; integrate the work of scientific partners such as nations, private sector organizations, academia and other agencies; and provide leadership in addressing emerging environmental issues and in advancing the science and technology of risk assessment and risk management.

Sponsor voluntary partnerships and programs: The Agency works through its headquarters and regional offices with over 10,000 industries, businesses, non-profit organizations, and state and local governments, on over 40 voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts. Partners set voluntary pollution-management goals; examples include conserving water and energy, minimizing greenhouse gases, slashing toxic emissions, re-using solid waste, controlling indoor air pollution, and getting a handle on pesticide risks. In return, EPA provides incentives like vital public recognition and access to emerging information.

Our History:

In July of 1970, the White House and Congress worked together to establish the EPA in response to the growing public demand for cleaner water, air and land. Prior to the establishment of the EPA, the federal government was not structured to make a coordinated attack on the pollutants that harm human health and degrade the environment. The EPA was assigned the daunting task of repairing the damage already done to the natural environment and to establish new criteria to guide Americans in making a cleaner environment a reality.

 

Exercise 1. Match the words and their translations.

environmental science environmental research environmental assessment environmental laws environmental programs energy conservation greenhouse gases toxic emission solid waste air pollution

выхлоп токсичных веществ газы, создающие парниковый эффект загрязнение воздуха законы об охране окружающей среды исследования окружающей среды наука об окружающей среде оценка состояния окружающей среды программы по охране окружающей среды сохранение энергии твердые отходы

 

Exercise 2. Say if the sentences are true or false:

1. EPA’s mission is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment upon which life depends.

2. EPA employs 18,000 people across the country, including our headquarters offices in New-York, 10 regional offices, and more than a dozen labs.

3. Unfortunately, EPA does not lead the nation’s environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts.

4. EPA works to develop and enforce regulations that implement environmental laws enacted by President.

5. EPA is responsible for researching and setting national standards for a variety of environmental programs, and delegates to states and tribes the responsibility for issuing permits and for monitoring and enforcing compliance.

6. At laboratories located throughout the nation, the Agency works to assess environmental conditions and to identify, understand, and solve current and future environmental problems.

7. In July of 1870, the White House and Congress worked together to establish the EPA in response to the growing public demand for cleaner water, air and land.

 

Exercise 3. Read the text again and find predicates. Explain their formation.

 

Exercise 4. Make sentences using the following words and expressions:

environmental science – important – nowadays

environmental research – many scientists – solutions – environmental problems

environmental assessment – important – see problems – eliminate negative consequences

environmental laws – regulate – aspects – activity – preserve – environment

environmental programs – deal – different – schemes – projects – protect – nature – wildlife

energy conservation – help – save – a lot – resources

greenhouse gases – reduce – necessary – avoid – global warming

toxic emission – solid waste – air pollution – contribute

 

Exercise 5. Put the articles where needed.

Air pollution:

These days, ____ many people are concerned about ______ air pollution and whether it might affect their health. _______ fact is that most of the time, _________ air pollution levels are low. _______ air is certainly a lot cleaner today than in ______ days of the smogs of the 1950’s, when _____ factory chimneys belched out smoke and nearly everyone had ____ coal fire. But if you are concerned about ______ air pollution, there is ______ free and easy to use service that allows you to check levels in your area.

______ Government and _______ devolved administrations’ Air Pollution Information Service is managed by _____ Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It provides ____ detailed and easy-to-understand information on _______ air pollution, completely free of charge. This information can be particularly important to ___ people with medical conditions which _____ air pollution may make worse.

 

Exercise 6. Find out about air pollution in Russia. Make a report.

 

Exercise 7. Read and sum up main responsibilities of EPA.

Duties Transferred to EPA

Dept. of the Interior (DOI)

· Federal Water Quality Administration

· Functions transferred to the Secretary by Reorganization Plan #2 of 1966 (80 Stat 1608)

· Functions vested in the Secretary or Department by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act

· Functions vested in the Secretary by the Act of August 1, 1958, 72 Stat. 479, 16 U.S.C. 742d-1 (an act related to studies of the effects of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides upon fish and wildlife)

· Functions vested by law in the Secretary administered by the Gulf Breeze Biological Laboratory of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries at Gulf Breeze, Florida

· The Water Pollution Control Advisory Board (33 U.S.C. 466f) , and the hearing boards provided for in sections 10(c)(4) and 10(f) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 466g)

 

Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)

· Functions of the Secretary or Department under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 135-135k)

· Functions of the Secretary or Department under section 408(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended (21 U.S.C. 346a(l))

· Functions vested by law in the Secretary or Department administered through the Environmental Quality Branch of the Plant Protection Division of the Agricultural Research Service

 

Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW)

· Functions vested by law in the Secretary or Department administered through the Environmental Health Service, including:

· The National Air Pollution Control Administration

· The Environmental Control Administration, including:

· Bureau of Solid Waste Management

· Bureau of Water Hygiene

· Bureau of Radiological Health

· Functions vested in the Secretary for establishing tolerances for pesticides chemicals under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)

· The Air Quality Advisory Board (42 U.S.C. 1857e)

 

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

· Functions of the AEC under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, administered through its Division of Radiation Protection Standards, to the extent that such functions consist of establishing generally applicable environmental standards for protection of the general environment from radioactive material

 

Federal Radiation Council (FRC)

· All functions of the Federal Radiation Council (42 U.S.C. 2021(h))

 

Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

· Functions of CEQ under section 204(5) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (Public Law 91-190, approved Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 855), that pertain to ecological systems

 

Vocabulary

environmental science	наука об окружающей среде
environmental research	исследования окружающей среды
environmental assessment	оценка состояния окружающей среды
environmental laws	законы об охране окружающей среды
environmental programs	программы по охране окружающей среды
energy conservation	сохранение энергии
greenhouse gases	газы, создающие парниковый эффект
toxic emission	выхлоп токсичных веществ
solid waste	твердые отходы
air pollution	загрязнение воздуха

 

 

LESSON 3                         УРОК 3

ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫЕ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ И США ПО ЗАЩИТЕ ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ

Environmental Agency

We have 10,500 staff and an annual budget of Ј650 million. Our work has a direct effect on people’s quality of life, so it’s critical that we’re both effective and efficient.”

The Environment Agency provides high quality environmental protection and improvement in England and Wales through an emphasis on prevention and education, and then vigorous enforcement where necessary.

We contribute to the world-wide environmental goal of sustainable development, which has been defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

We were set up by the 1995 Environment Act. As a non-departmental public body, we are sponsored largely by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the National Assembly for Wales (NAW).

The Environment Agency provides environmental information to a wide audience including schools.

We regularly publish information on the environment, including a number of public registers of environmental information, ‘State of the Environment’ reports, a pollution inventory and floodplain maps. The bi-monthly publication Environment Action (free on request) keeps readers abreast with environmental news and Agency developments.

We promote and influence sustainable development education in professional organisations, universities and other training institutions. We are also involved in establishing standards for sustainable development qualifications, producing learning materials and courses and supporting sustainable development education in the work place.

The Environment Agency is the most important environmental regulator in England and Wales. Our work involves the following functions:

We issue various permits, licences, consents and registrations. These range from major industrial authorisations, such as a licence to abstract water from rivers, down to recreational ones such as fishing licences.

Before users carry out an activity that may need a licence, we can offer advice look at ways of reducing that activity’s effect on the environment.

We regularly inspect and monitor licence-holders, making sure that the standards we have set are being met. We also assess safety reports for sites covered by the Control of Major Accident Hazards regulations and have a supervisory duty on flood defence.

We cannot make lasting improvements alone:

Much of our work is delivered in partnerships, for instance through Local Environment Action Plans (LEAPs) developed with local businesses, councils and interest groups.

 

Exercise 1. Match the words and their translations.

environment improvement enforcement non-departmental public body issue permits issue licenses to abstract water from rivers to meet standards

выдавать лицензии выдавать разрешения неправительственная общественная организация осуществлять водозабор из рек применение в судебном порядке соответствовать стандартам улучшение состояния окружающей среды

 

Exercise 2. Say if the sentences are true or false:

1. The Environment Agency provides high quality environmental protection and improvement in England and Wales through an emphasis on prevention and education, and then vigorous enforcement where necessary.

2. The Environment Agency contributes to the world-wide environmental goal of sustainable development, which has been defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

3. The Environment Agency provides environmental information to a wide audience including schools.

4. The Environment Agency is not involved in establishing standards for sustainable development qualifications, producing learning materials and courses and supporting sustainable development education in the work place.

5. The Environment Agency does not have right to issue various permits, licences, consents and registrations.

6. The Environment Agency regularly inspects and monitors licence-holders, making sure that the standards we have set are being met.

 

Exercise 3. Read the text again, underline all prepositions and explain their use.

 

Exercise 4. Make sentences using the following words and expressions:

Environment improvement – achieve – elaborate – programs – conservation.

Enforcement – environmental laws – help – protection – business.

Non-departmental public body – work – closely – the Government – environmental protection.

Issue permits – issue licenses – main activity – Environmental Agency.

To abstract water from rivers – need – permit – not to cause damage – environment.

To meet standards – international organizations – environmental protection – help – reduce – environmental damage – enterprises.

 

Exercise 5. Put the prepositions where needed.

Reducing and managing risks

Risks come _____ many forms. DEFRA has a role ____ play with others ____ providing all citizens ____ access ____ healthy food, air and water; and safe places ____ live and work. ____ do this we must understand and anticipate risks and hazards, weigh priorities and have credible contingency plans ____ place. ____ other departments, local authorities and private businesses, we must ensure the continuity ____ essential supplies ____ food and water ____ case ___ terrorist attack or war. We are also responsible ___ assessing the risks ____ people and the environment ____ pollutants and environmental impacts such as climate change where humans may be accelerating or causing the change. _____ effectiveness, safety and environmental impact ___ mind, we examine agricultural pesticides, veterinary products and novel (such as genetically-modified) crops. We are committed ___ sound science underpinning our risk assessments. Often, we know too little ____ the social impacts ____ our work and we must improve the knowledge base ______ this as we are doing ____ rural areas.

 

Exercise 6. Find out information on Greenpeace structure, aims and activities. Make a report...

 

Exercise 7. Read and sum up the text.

ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES

A Statement

The National Trust has prepared a Statement of Environmental Principles, based on the core purpose of the Trust laid down in the 1907 National Trust Act, viz. “the promotion of the permanent preservation of lands and tenements of historic interest or natural beauty...for the benefit of the nation”.

The Trust recognises that it should promote the protection of the environment and, in particular, strive to:

1. prevent avoidable damage caused by human impact on the environment;

2. protect the Trust’s long-term interests from environmental damage;

3. be an exemplar of good environmental practice.

The Trust has functioned as a conservation organisation since its incorporation in 1895; and is now assessing its work as an environmental organisation.

An internal Environmental Audit was initiated in 1990 to review all the Trust’s policies and practices for their actual and potential environmental impacts.

This Audit reported in 1992 and in consequence the Trust has committed itself to a full time Environmental Practices programme in order to attempt to minimise the environmental impacts arising from all its activities.

Priority areas for changes in policy and practice and for further evaluation are:

· energy conservation;

· water conservation;

· waste minimisation and re-use;

· pollution control (principally sewage and other effluents);

· transport;

· agriculture and land management (especially soil protection);

· building restoration, construction and management;

· office management.

Training in environmental awareness and detailed environmental management skills is fundamental to this initiative.

The Trust has already invested considerably in improving standards of property management for energy conservation, sewage treatment, control of farm effluents and water conservation.

Integral with this investment has been an innovatory, environmentally-benign approach to problem-solving in many related areas of management, including:

· pre-emptive waste minimisation;

· whole farm plans;

· energy awareness training & conservation measures;

· water conservation initiatives;

· a risk assessment for private water supplies;

· buffer zones;

· soil conservation measures;

· peatland conservation and peat substitutes;

· sustainable tourism projects;

· green buildings;

· catchment management;

· promotion of non-car access to the countryside;

· renewable energy generation;

· dry compost toilet systems;

· reedbed and wetland dirty water treatment systems.

The Trust makes representations to Government, local authority and statutory agencies to promote conservation and environmental management objectives.

The Trust has an active Education Department which organises events and projects and produces information for schools and for adult groups: Environmental Education is a key component.

The Trust is involved with a wide range of other partners in environmental projects and research – NGOs, business, University Departments, professional institutes, Government agencies – at both UK and European levels.

The Trust is committed to the development and demonstration of best environmental practice in all its operations. A programme for implementing this has been prepared and is regularly updated.

 

Vocabulary

environment improvement	улучшение состояния окружающей среды
enforcement	применение в судебном порядке
non-departmental public body	неправительственная общественная организация
issue permits	выдавать разрешения
issue licenses	выдавать лицензии
to abstract water from rivers	осуществлять водозабор из рек
to meet standards	соответствовать стандартам

 

LESSON 4                         УРОК 4

НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЕ ЗАПОВЕДНИКИ ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ И США

New Orleans City Park

Who We Are

At 1,500 acres, City Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country. The first parcel of land was aquired in 1854, making it one of the country’s oldest parks.

City Park is operated by a state agency of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.

The City Park Improvement Association (CPIA) was established in 1891 to provide for the improvement of City Park. The Louisiana Legislature placed City Park under the control of CPIA in 1896 invested it with the authority to operate and develop the park.

City Park receives no public tax support to operate from either the City of New Orleans or the State of Louisiana.

City Park Improvement Association Board enjoys regional representation.

Of the 34 board positions, 12 members are appointed and 22 are elected. Appointments are made by:

· Governor of Louisiana

· Mayor of New Orleans

· (2) New Orleans City Council

· President, Louisiana Senate

· Speaker of the House of Representatives

· Jefferson Parish Council

· The Chamber/New Orleans and the River Region

· (3) Friends of City Park

· (1) President of the Board

The Mission of the City Park Improvement Association is to Preserve and improve park spaces for recreational, educational, cultural and beautification purposes.

 

Park Visitation

Over 900,000 individuals from the metropolitan area visit the park annually accounting for nearly 11 million total visits. This does not include visits from individuals from outside the metropolitan area. City Park is a regional facility with approximately 40% of its metro area users coming from Orleans Parish, 35% from Jefferson Parish and 25% from surrounding parishes. These figures do not include visitation from outside the metro area.

 

Mission

The mission of the New Orleans Botanical Garden is to cultivate, promote, and inspire the knowledge, love, and appreciation of plants through educational programs and exhibits and to evaluate, introduce, and distribute new plant materials suitable for cultivation in the Gulf-South Region of the United States.

 

The Garden

Today’s New Orleans Botanical Garden has its roots in the Great Depression as a project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Originally known as the City Park Rose Garden, the garden opened in 1936 as New Orleans’ first public classical garden combining both art and nature. Designed for everyone in New Orleans to enjoy, it is one of the few remaining examples of public garden design from the WPA and Art Deco Period, remaining today as a showcase of three notable talents: New Orleans Architect Richard Koch, Landscape architect William Wiedorn, and Artist Enrique Alferez.

Reborn as the New Orleans Botanical Garden in the early 1980s, today’s garden contains over 2,000 varieties of plants from all over the world set among the nation’s largest stand of mature live oaks. The site contains several theme gardens containing aquatics, ornamental trees and shrubs, perennials, and a recently renovated Conservatory. The garden also encompasses the Pavilion of the Two Sisters, the Garden Study Centre and the newly rebuilt Lath House which are available for rental.

The New Orleans Botanical Garden strives to be the center of horticultural excellence for the Gulf South. The garden’s upcoming plans are simple: to preserve the past of this valuable WPA garden while enhancing it to achieve an accredited public educational facility where visitors can study first hand the green culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. A botanical garden is to plants what an art museum is to art. With this in mind, there is no greater way to enjoy the masterpieces of nature than by visiting the New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park.

 

Visiting the Garden

The New Orleans Botanical Garden is open year-round except select major holidays. Although many of the displays tend to peak in spring and fall, the large collection of tropical and subtropical plants coupled with our mild-winter climate allow significant numbers of plants to be in bloom throughout the all seasons.

 

City Park’s Live Oaks

Two hundred years ago City Park was a swampy oak forest, home of Accolapissa and Biloxi tribes who traded by dugout canoe along the banks of Bayou St. John. City Park’s forest includes approximately 14,000 mature trees and approximately 50 species including Bald Cypress, Southern Magnolia, Pine and a variety of oaks including the most populous Southern Live Oaks (more than 3,000 specimens), Water, Overcup, White, Sawtooth, Cow, Cherrybark, and Nuttall Oak.

The Park is home to the largest collection of mature live oaks in the world, some several hundred years old. There are several traits that make the live oak unique among oaks. It is evergreen, or almost so, because the old leaves drop about the same time as the new leaves appear in the spring. Thus, the name “live” oak. It has a distinctive low spread and form, almost sculptural. It is common to see mature trees with lateral limbs that reach the ground. Many old trees have a branch spread which is twice the height of the tree.

City Park’s oldest and largest live oaks are located along the vestiges of old Bayou Metairie, a remnant of an ancient tributary of the Mississippi River. The McDonogh estimated at 600 years old, Dueling and Suicide Oaks are among the remnants of this ancient forest that started long before Iberville and Bienville first scouted the area for a site to build the city and port that became New Orleans.

 

Tree Fund

City Park has over 14,000 trees that are greater than 4 inches in diameter. It is also the home of the largest stand of mature live oak trees in the world. These trees are part of our community’s living history .

You can help care for the thousands of magnificent trees that make City Park so special. The Friends of City Park have established a Tree Fund to provide the professional care needed by the park’s greatest trees. Your tax-deductible gift will help preserve and maintain our community’s urban forest.

The Couturie Forest and Arboretum Trail

The Couturie Forest and Arboretum Trail fronting on Harrison Avenue within City Park is a 33-acre preserve of one of the largest stands of mature mixed hardwoods in a relatively natural condition in the Park. Couturie Forest was begun as a community arboretum in the 1930s with a bequest from businessman Rene Couturie. It was dedicated in 1938.

Over the years the area was forgotten and became a place for illegal trash dumping. In 2001, City Park staff, volunteers and members of the Louisiana National Guard cleared out trash and constructed over a mile of trails as well as a deck, an amphitheater and six education stations. A six-story mound of riprap from the construction of Interstate 610 remains – the tallest “mountain” in the sub-sea level city, with an observation platform at its peak.

An arboretum is a place where trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants are grown for scientific and educational purposes. Along the trail of Couturie Forest, visitors will find forty-five species of trees identified by both their common and scientific names.

 

And as for the Birds…

As you explore the Arboretum, you will see a number of other features designed to enhance bird life along the trail. In the lagoon, nesting boxes for wood ducks can be found. Elsewhere, cavities in trees provide nesting space for owls and other birds. Food and cover species of plant life can be noted, such as elderberry, common privet and seed-producing grasses. Over 80 species of birds have been sighted within the Forest at various times of the year.

 

Exercise 1. Match the words and their translations.

city park botanical garden plant aquatic ornamental tree shrub perennial live oaks evergreen limb ancient forest hardwood trash dumping bird nest owl elderberry privet

бирючина ботанический сад бузина ветка вечнозеленый вечный дуб водное растение гнездо городской парк декоративное дерево древний лес кустарник многолетнее растение птица растение свалка мусора сова твердая древесина

 

Exercise 2. Say if the sentences are true or false.

1. At 1,500 acres, City Park is one of the smallest urban parks in the country.

2. Over 900,000 individuals from the metropolitan area visit the park daily accounting for nearly 11 million total visits.

3. Designed for everyone in New Orleans to enjoy, it is one of the few remaining examples of public garden design from the WPA and Art Deco Period, remaining today as a showcase of three notable talents.

4. Reborn as the New Orleans Botanical Garden in the early 1990s, today’s garden contains over 2,000 varieties of plants from all over the world set among the nation’s largest stand of mature live oaks.

5. Two hundred years ago City Park was a swampy oak forest, home of Accolapissa and Biloxi tribes who traded by dugout canoe along the banks of Bayou St. John.

6. There are several traits that make the live oak unique among oaks. It is evergreen, or almost so, because the old leaves drop about the same time as the new leaves appear in the spring.

 

Exercise 3. Read the text again and fill in the chart with the information.

 

Exercise 4. Make sentences using the following words and expressions:

City park – botanical garden – plant – aquatic – ornamental tree – shrub – perennial

Live oaks – evergreen – that’s why – the name

Ancient forest – this place – earlier

Place for – bird – nest – owl

 

Exercise 5. Study the sentences and say what type of subordinate clauses they have.

1. Although there is no room for complacency, our export markets are re-opening and we have relaxed animal movements.

2. England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) is already proving its value, although inevitably the foot and mouth disease outbreak affected what could be achieved in 2001.

3. At the same time, rural England is a place where people live, and rural residents have similar concerns about work, education, health and crime as have people in urban areas have.

4. DEFRA Ministers have worked with the Department for Education and Skills and others to find ways to meet the needs of children in rural areas.

5. As the Chairman announced at the Annual General Meeting in October 2001, the National Trust is reviewing its governance arrangements, to make sure that they meet with current best practice and that they will serve the Trust well for the future.

6. The other members of the review group have been Edward Walker-Arnott, who is a former senior partner of Herbert Smith, solicitors, and is currently a Governor of the Wellcome Trust, and three members of the Trust’s Council: John Anfield, Ann Bartleet and Hugh Matheson.

7. While the Trust’s Council has done a marvellous job over the years, the requirements of a modern charity trustee body simply cannot be met by a group of 52 people.

 

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with appropriate words.

England and Wales

The Environment Agency was set up by the British Government in 1997 to “protect and improve the ___________________ for current and future generations”. Amongst other responsibilities it is the licensing authority for water _____________ and has powers to protect people and property in low lying areas from flooding.

The Agency has a statutory duty to secure the proper use of water resources, which includes:

* assessing the need for new developments and licences;

* ensuring that the most appropriate schemes are ___________, taking into account the environmental ________ of new developments and the impact on existing users.

The Agency owns and operates a few raw water transfer and environmental support schemes. The financing, promotion and development of new schemes will normally be the concern of the main beneficiaries. The initiative for developing schemes rests with the water companies or other private sector investors. The Government and Environment Agency do not give grants for ________ schemes.

Farmers who wish to irrigate using spray equipment must have a ______- from the Environment Agency. At present, trickle irrigation is not licensable, although the Government plans to introduce legislation to bring it under control.

In some areas the Agency is not issuing any further summer surface water or ________ abstraction licences because the limited resources are already committed to other users and/or the ecological requirements of streams and wetlands. In these areas expansion of irrigation can only be by abstracting winter water flows for storage in a reservoir for use in the irrigation season.

 

Exercise 7. Find out about Ukrainian nature reserves and make up a report about one of them.

 

Exercise 8. Read and sum up the text.

The National Trust

The National Trust was founded in 1895 by three Victorian philanthropists – Miss Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley. Concerned about the impact of uncontrolled development and industrialisation, they set up the Trust to act as a guardian for the nation in the acquisition and protection of threatened coastline, countryside and buildings.

More than a century later, we now care for over 248,000 hectares (612,000 acres) of beautiful countryside in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus almost 600 miles of coastline and more than 200 buildings and gardens of outstanding interest and importance. Most of these properties are held in perpetuity and so their future protection is secure. The vast majority are open to visitors and we are constantly looking at ways in which we can improve public access and on-site facilities.

We are a registered charity and completely independent of Government, therefore relying heavily on the generosity of our subscribing members (now numbering over 3 million) and other supporters. Find out more facts and figures about the National Trust.

The National Trust works to preserve and protect the coastline, countryside and buildings of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We do this in a range of ways, through practical caring and conservation, through educating and informing, and through encouraging millions of people to enjoy their national heritage.

Without our many members, visitors and volunteers we would be unable to carry on with our work. However, It is not just through visiting properties that you help us. Our many enterprises include the popular National Trust tea rooms and shops, and numerous people holiday in National Trust cottages or on short breaks with us every year.

With your help from these and other sources, we care for thousands of acres of countryside and coastline and over 200 buildings. Additionally, we have many long term programmes in place to help educate people about the importance of the environment and of preserving our heritage for future generations.

‘Mark my words, Miss Hill, this is going to be a very big thing’. This prophetic remark was made by the Duke of Westminster as plans were underway to set up the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty. The actual foundation of the Trust took place in the Duke’s London home, Grosvenor House, on 12 January 1895. The three moving spirits behind this venture – Robert Hunter, Octavia Hill and Hardwicke Rawnsley – were very different: perhaps this was the secret of their success.

Early in 1884 Robert Hunter circulated a paper proposing the establishment of a land company which could ‘administer its property with a view to the protection of the public interests in open spaces’. Octavia in her reply recommended ‘a short expressive name... what do you think of “The Commons and Gardens Trust”? Hunter pencilled at the top of this letter, ‘National Trust’. The rest is history.

 

Vocabulary

city park	городской парк
botanical garden	ботанический сад
plant	растение
aquatic	водное растение
ornamental tree	декоративное дерево
shrub	кустарник
perennial	многолетнее растение
live oaks	вечный дуб
evergreen	вечнозеленый
limb	ветка
ancient forest	древний лес
hardwood	твердая древесина
trash dumping	свалка мусора
bird	птица
nest	гнездо
owl	сова
elderberry	бузина
privet	бирючина

 

LESSON 5                         УРОК 5

ОХРАНА ОЗОНОВОГО СЛОЯ ЗЕМЛИ

The greenhouse effect and ozone depletion

The greenhouse effect is a naturally-occurring phenomenon. Without it, the Earth would be about 30° C colder. However, some scientists say that increased emissions of greenhouse gases have contributed to a manmade rise in global temperatures and sea level.

Water vapour, carbon-dioxide and methane form a natural blanket of air around the Earth. However, the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation has led to a massive increase in the amount of carbon-dioxide released into the atmosphere. We are also releasing larger quantities of other greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide.

The surface of the earth is heated by the sun. As it warms up, it reflects heat back into the atmosphere. About 70% of the sun’s energy is radiated back into space. But some of the infrared radiation is trapped by greenhouse gases, which warm the atmosphere, and reflect heat back down to Earth.

As a result of the greenhouse effect, the Earth is kept warm enough to make life possible. But some scientists say that increased emissions of greenhouse gases are disturbing the balance of this complex system, causing global warming. In the last 100 years, the average global temperature has increased by about 0.4 to 0.8° C.

 

Climate change

Tackling the threat to the global community

On Sunday 10 August a temperature of 38.1°C (100.6°F) was recorded at Gravesend in Kent. This UK record was reached during a heat wave of over a week of temperatures in the 30s. The months of June and July 2003 were the third hottest on record. In the UK four of the five hottest years on record have been in the past ten years. Globally, the nine hottest years on record have all been since 1991.

 

Greenhouse gas emissions

There is growing scientific evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are having a noticeable effect on the earth’s climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) co-ordinates the review and assessment of the science of climate change. In its third assessment report (2001), the IPCC concluded that:

“There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the past 50 years is attributable to human activities.”

Some greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere. Our use of fossil fuels for industrial and commercial development, light, heat and transport, has raised levels of these gases. Current climate models predict that global temperatures could warm from between 1.4 to 5.8°C over the next 100 years, depending on the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted and the sensitivity of the climate system. The social, environmental and economic costs associated with this could be huge.

 

The Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol, negotiated by more than 160 nations, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting legally binding emissions reduction targets for developed countries. Following Kyoto, the UK’s target is to cut its emissions by 12.5 percent below 1990 levels by 2008–2012. But the Government and the devolved administrations are convinced that the UK can and should go further. The Kyoto Protocol is only the first step. In the longer term, bigger cuts worldwide – perhaps 60 percent or more – will be needed. The Government and the devolved administrations have therefore set a domestic goal to go further than the Kyoto commitment and cut the UK’s emissions of carbon dioxide by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2010.

Emissions trading is designed to allow businesses to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases in the most economically efficient way. Participating businesses can make ‘in house’ emission reductions or they can buy tradable emission allowances as a way of meeting their targets. If they can beat their target then they can sell or bank surplus emission allowances. The currency in the scheme is an ‘allowance’, each equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide.

Emissions trading is a central feature of the Kyoto Protocol.

 

Exercise 1. Match the words and their translations.

the greenhouse effect greenhouse gases water vapour carbon-dioxide methane natural blanket of air fossil fuels deforestation infrared radiation global warming emissions trading

парниковый эффект парниковые газы испарение воды карбон-диоксид метан естественный слой атмосферы твердое топливо вырубка леса инфракрасное излучение глобальное потепление торговля квотами на выделение в атмосферу газов

 

Exercise 2. Say if the sentences are true or false.

1. The greenhouse effect is an artificially-occurring phenomenon.

2. The burning of fossil fuels and deforestation has led to a massive increase in the amount of carbon-dioxide released into the atmosphere.

3. As a result of the greenhouse effect, the Earth is kept cold enough to make life possible.

4. There is growing scientific evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are having a noticeable effect on the earth’s climate.

5. The Kyoto Protocol, negotiated by more than 160 nations, aims to increase greenhouse gas emissions by setting legally binding emissions reduction targets for developed countries.

6. Emissions trading is a central feature of the Kyoto Protocol.

 

Exercise 3. Read the text again and make its summary.

 

Exercise 4. Make sentences using the following words and expressions:

The greenhouse effect – make life – Earth – natural

Greenhouse gases – water vapour – carbon-dioxide – methane – add – greenhouse effect – artificially

Natural blanket of air – pollute – fossil fuels

Deforestation – contribute – also – greenhouse effect – cause – global warming

Infrared radiation – keep – the earth – warm – 70% – in the space

Global warming – real – danger – the environment – rise – Global temperature

Emissions trading – important part – Kyoto protocol – reduce – greenhouse gases

 

Exercise 5. Transform these sentences into conditionals.

1. The greenhouse effect is a naturally-occurring phenomenon. Without it, the Earth would be about 30° C colder.

2. However, the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation has led to a massive increase in the amount of carbon-dioxide released into the atmosphere.

3. As a result of the greenhouse effect, the Earth is kept warm enough to make life possible.

4. Current climate models predict that global temperatures could warm from between 1.4 to 5.8°C over the next 100 years, depending on the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted and the sensitivity of the climate system.

5. The Government and the devolved administrations have therefore set a domestic goal to go further than the Kyoto commitment and cut the UK’s emissions of carbon dioxide by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2010.

6. Participating businesses can make ‘in house’ emission reductions or they can buy tradable emission allowances as a way of meeting their targets.

 

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with appropriate words.

Six sentences have been removed from the article opposite. Choose from the sentences A-G below the one which fits each gap 1-6. There’s one extra sentence you don’t need to use.

A. Until recently all of this was absorbed by trees and plants, which converted it back into oxygen.

B. So the amount of COg in the atmosphere is increasing all the time.

C. Some areas may actually benefit: the higher temperatures may allow a longer growing season, for example.

D. At the time his predictions were regarded as science fiction.

E. But it certainly looks as if inhabitants of this planet will have to get used to living in a warmer world.

F. Consequently, the temperature rises.

G. Surprisingly, the amount of COg in the atmosphere has continued to fall.

 

As long ago as the 1960s Professor Bert Bolin predicted that the ‘global warming’, caused by an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, would lead to significant changes in the Earth’s climate. (1) ____________________________________

But most experts now agree that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will double from 0.03% to 0.06% in the next 50 years and that temperatures worldwide will rise by 2° Celsius.

Although a temperature rise of 2° may not seem significant, the local effects may be much greater: by 2025 a rise of 10° is possible in polar regions and 4° in Northern Europe. Indeed the first effects will be felt by the end of the century – perhaps they are already being felt...

But how does the Greenhouse Effect operate and why should such a tiny proportion of CO2 have such a harmful effect?

When living creatures breathe out and when things are burned, CO2 enters the atmosphere. (2) ____________ But the balance of nature has been disturbed. In power stations, in factories and in cars, we are burning more and more fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). 18 billion tons of CO2 enter the atmosphere every year. And the destruction of forests means that there are fewer trees to convert the CO2 into oxygen. (3) _____________________________.

As sunlight enters the atmosphere, the surface of the earth is warmed. Some of this heat escapes back into space, but the rest is trapped by CO2, which acts rather like the glass in a greenhouse, allowing sunshine and heat to pass in but not out again. (4) _______________________________ 

As the temperature rises, the amount of water vapour in the air will increase and this too will absorb more of the Earth’s heat. The oceans too will become warmer and store more heat, so that they increase the warming effect. According to some scientists, the polar icecaps will start to melt and the oceans will expand as more snow and ice melts. Because the exposed ground, formerly covered in snow, won’t reflect the heat so well it will absorb more sunlight and this will lead to even more snow melting.

Scientists predict that the level of the sea will have risen by Vz to 11/2 metres by 2050. This will affect many low-lying areas of the world – millions of people today live less than one metre above sea level.

(5) ______________________________________ For Northern Europeans, the extra warmth may be welcome – but there is also likely to be increased rainfall.

But many areas may suffer: the southern states of the USA can expect hotter summers and less rainfall, leading to worse conditions for agriculture, and the Mediterranean region may well be much drier and hotter than now.

Many experts believe that the Greenhouse Effect will bring significant changes to the Earth’s climate, though they don’t all agree how long this will take, or what form it will take. (6) _______________________________________.

 

Exercise 7. Role-play.

Group 1. You are a group of scientists working on the conservation of ozone layer.

Group 2. You are a group of students, participating in a conference on ozone depletion.

Role-play the conference, group B interviews group А on the problems of ozone depletion, global warming, Kyoto protocol.

 

Exercise 8. Read and sum up the text.

The Antarctic Ozone Hole

The ozone hole is defined as the area having less than 220 Dobson Units (DU) of ozone in the overhead column (i.e., between the ground and space).

The ozone hole is a well-defined, large-scale destruction of the ozone layer over Antarctica that occurs each Antarctic spring. The word “hole” is a misnomer; the hole is really a significant thinning, or reduction in ozone concentrations, which results in the destruction of up to 70% of the ozone normally found over Antarctica.

The science of the ozone hole is quite complex, but our understanding of the many factors that combine to create it has improved greatly since the first investigations in the 1980s. Unlike global ozone depletion, the ozone hole occurs only over Antarctica. Using several instruments on satellites, planes, and balloons, scientists have produced detailed graphs of the size of the ozone hole.

Two international organizations issue regular bulletins about the ozone hole as it develops each year: the British Antarctic Survey and the World Meteorological Organization. The BAS site also explains why the ozone hole didn’t occur in 1956, despite a widespread myth that it did. The University of Cambridge’s Ozone Hole Tour provides detailed explanations, with graphics, of the ozone hole and its history.

 

Vocabulary

the greenhouse effect	парниковый эффект
greenhouse gases	парниковые газы
water vapour	испарение воды
carbon-dioxide	карбон-диоксид
methane	метан
natural blanket of air	естественный слой атмосферы
fossil fuels	твердое топливо
deforestation	вырубка леса
infrared radiation	инфракрасное излучение
global warming	глобальное потепление
emissions trading	торговля квотами на выделение в атмосферу газов
ozone depletion	разрушение озонового слоя
ozone hole	озоновая дыра
polar region	полярный регион
ozone layer	озоновый слой

 

ГЛОССАРИЙ

 

Новые понятия	Содержание
Climate change	изменение климата
Environmental degradation	ухудшение окружающей среды
Low carbon emissions	низкое выделение углерода
Environment	окружающая среда
Biodiversity	разнообразие биологических видов
Sustainable development	устойчивое развитие
Economic prosperity	экономическое процветание
Environmental damage	нанесение ущерба окружающей среде
Pollution	загрязнение
Wildlife	живая природа
Whaling	китобойный промысел
Environmental science	наука об окружающей среде
Environmental research	исследования окружающей среды
Environmental assessment	оценка состояния окружающей среды
Environmental laws	законы об охране окружающей среды
Environmental programs	программы по охране окружающей среды
Energy conservation	сохранение энергии
Greenhouse gases	газы, создающие парниковый эффект
Toxic emission	выхлоп токсичных веществ
Solid waste	твердые отходы
Air pollution	загрязнение воздуха
Environment improvement	улучшение состояния окружающей среды
Enforcement	применение в судебном порядке
Non-departmental public body	неправительственная общественная организация
Issue permits	выдавать разрешения
Issue licenses	выдавать лицензии
To abstract water from rivers	осуществлять водозабор из рек
To meet standards	соответствовать стандартам
City park	городской парк
Botanical garden	ботанический сад
Plant	растение
Aquatic	водное растение
Ornamental tree	декоративное дерево
Shrub	кустарник
Perennial	многолетнее растение
Live oaks	вечный дуб
Evergreen	вечнозеленый
Limb	ветка
Ancient forest	древний лес
Hardwood	твердая древесина
Trash dumping	свалка мусора
Bird	птица
Nest	гнездо
Owl	сова
Elderberry	бузина
Privet	бирючина
The greenhouse effect	парниковый эффект
Water vapour	испарение воды
Carbon-dioxide	карбон-диоксид
Methane	метан
Natural blanket of air	естественный слой атмосферы
Fossil fuels	твердое топливо
Deforestation	вырубка леса
Infrared radiation	инфракрасное излучение
Global warming	глобальное потепление
Emissions trading	торговля квотами на выделение в атмосферу газов
Ozone depletion	разрушение озонового слоя
Ozone hole	озоновая дыра
Polar region	полярный регион
Ozone layer	озоновый слой