When scientists scan the global horizon, over?fishing, loss of species habitat, water shortage, climate change, and invasive species seem to be the biggest threats to the earth. Then what will our world be like in 2050?
There are two features in the growth of world population. First, the United Nations estimates that by 2050, the population of European countries will decrease from the current 0.72 billion to 0.63 billion. Second, the population in developing countries is growing rapidly. By 2050, the population of Africa is expected to reach 1.8 billion, 0.9 billion more than its present population.
Global warming will become more and more serious. A recent research report published by the United Nations indicates that it's quite possible that the Earth's temperature is rising well above the previous estimate. Such an outcome would have severe consequences. For example, a research team from the University of Colorado used satellite data to estimate that the ice sheet will lose up to 48 cubic (立方的) miles by 2050. Ice shelves in the Antarctic will have decreased by more than 7,200 square miles in the next forty years.
There will be more severe water shortage. Africa's rivers face dramatic change that will leave a quarter of the continent severely short of water by the middle of the century, according to a global warming study. Even modest decreases in rain in western Africa will see rivers lose as much as 80% of their water.
Today there are 620 million private cars worldwide. With current growth trends, that number is expected to reach three billion worldwide by 2050. If we continue to burn fossil fuels at current rates, levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will reach 550 ppm (parts per million)—double pre?industrial levels—by around 2050. This will increase global temperatures by between 1.4℃ and 4.8℃ by 2050, and sea levels will rise by between 0.09 meters and 0.78 meters.
Title | What will Our World be Like in 2050? |
Features of the growth of world population | ●The population in Europe will decrease (76)________ 0.09 billion. |
●The population in developing countries will be (77)________ as much as its present population. |
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Consequences of global warming | ●The (78)________ of the ice sheet will reach 48 cubic miles. |
●Ice shelves in the Antarctic will decrease by (79)________ 7,200 square miles in the next four (80)________.
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●One (81)________ of Africa will be severely short of water. |
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Information (82)________ to private cars | The number of private cars will increase by (83)________ million. |
(84)________ of cars | ●Make levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reach 550 ppm. |
●Increase global temperatures by 1.4℃~4.8℃. |
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●(85)________ sea levels by 0.09 meters ~ 0.78 meters. |
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