World News for Students of English

10-11-2021 15:00

British naturalist Sir David Attenborough warned world leaders that the earth’s future is defined by a single number, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

That number currently is at 414 parts per million, which is now 149% of the level before industrialization.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Attenborough urged leaders to rewrite human history and turn tragedy into a triumph. He added that people were the greatest problem solvers to have ever existed on the earth. In a passionate speech that drew a standing ovation, Attenborough said that the fate of future generations was the impetus to rewrite human history.

The 95-year-old also criticized wealthier nations, saying that those who had done the least to cause the climate change were also being hit the hardest.

The world is now about 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than it was in the 19th century, and extreme weather like heatwaves, floods and forest fires are already becoming more intense.

Difficult words: triumph (a very great success or victory), standing ovation (applause when the audience stands and applauds after an extraordinary performance), impetus (a force that encourages an action or makes it more effective).

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