Earth can heal from global warming if countries stop using coal, says group

Transcription

1 Earth can heal from global warming if countries stop using coal, says group By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 560 Level 1200L Residents wear masks and wait outside while municipal workers spray chemicals to kill mosquitoes inside residential homes in downtown Hanoi, Vietnam, on August 11, 2017, as authorities try to stop the spread of dengue fever in the Vietnamese capital. Cases of dengue fever a painful mosquito-borne spread disease have doubled every decade since 1990 with 58.4 million cases and 10,000 deaths in Dr. Howard Frumkin, a former environmental health director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said climate change, which allows mosquitoes to live in more places and stay active longer with shorter freeze seasons, is part but not all of the reason. Photo by: HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images WASHINGTON, D.C. Global warming is hurting people's health a bit more than previously thought, a new study says. However, there's hope that the Earth and the people living on it can heal if the planet kicks its coal habit, a group of doctors and other experts said. The study was published Monday in the British medical journal Lancet. It suggests the poor and elderly are most threatened by worsening climate change. However, "glimmers of progress" remain, especially after the 2015 Paris agreement to limit heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions. Almost every country in the world agreed to the Paris deal, though President Donald Trump has said the United States will no longer be part of it. Speaking as if the planet were a patient, doctors expressed both caution and hope. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 "There are some very severe warning signs, but there are some hopeful indicators too," said co-author Dr. Howard Frumkin, a professor of environmental health at the University of Washington. "Given the right treatment and aggressive efforts to prevent things from getting worse, I think there's hope." Health Of The Planet Is Being Monitored The report highlighted health problems stemming from more frequent heat waves, disease spread by insects, air pollution and other woes. While the disasters have been costly, deaths haven't been increasing because society is doing a better job adjusting to the changing conditions, the researchers noted. They also noted the adjustments have been more expensive. A team of 63 doctors, public health officials and scientists from around the world wrote what they considered the first of a regular monitoring of the health of the planet. The work is similar to having a "finger on the pulse of the patient," said Dr. Hugh Montgomery. He is an intensive care specialist and director of the University College of London's Institute for Health and Performance. Based on 40 indicators, the study said "the human symptoms of climate change are unequivocal and potentially irreversible." While other disease rates are dropping, the number of cases of dengue fever has increased. Cases of the disease, which is carried by mosquitoes have doubled every decade since 1990 with 58.4 million cases and 10,000 deaths in Frumkin, a former environmental health director with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said climate change, which allows mosquitoes to live in more places and stay active longer with shorter freeze seasons, is part but not all of the reason. Heat Waves And Food Shortages The same goes for the increase in Lyme disease, which is carried by ticks, in the United States. Frumkin added, "the ticks do better with warmer weather." Between 2000 and 2016, the number of at-risk people exposed to heat waves increased by about 125 million, the study said. Those who are considered to be at risk are people over 65 or who have long-term diseases. The study also highlighted the increasing likelihood of food shortages as climate change worsens. Columbia University researcher Madeline Thomson, who wasn't part of the study team, praised the work. "Climate is a stress multiplier" so it is important to monitor how it changes, she said. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

3 Acting on climate can have side benefits, Frumkin said. Cutting coal, for example, takes smog and soot out of the air. Eating less meat, bicycling and walking are not only helping to fight climate change, but are also helping people live healthier lives. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 3

4 Quiz 1 One MAIN idea of the article is that global warming is harmful to people's health. Which two details from the article BEST support this idea? 1. "There are some very severe warning signs, but there are some hopeful indicators too," said co-author Dr. Howard Frumkin, a professor of environmental health at the University of Washington. 2. The report highlighted health problems stemming from more frequent heat waves, disease spread by insects, air pollution and other woes. 3. While other disease rates are dropping, the number of cases of dengue fever has increased. Cases of the disease, which is carried by mosquitoes have doubled every decade since 1990 with 58.4 million cases and 10,000 deaths in Eating less meat, bicycling and walking are not only helping to fight climate change, but are also helping people live healthier lives. (A) 1 and 2 (B) 2 and 3 (C) 3 and 4 (D) 1 and 4 This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 2 Read the analysis of how the MAIN idea is introduced. The main idea is introduced by explaining the findings of a recent study and highlighting the mix of concern and optimism felt by scientists involved in the study. How is the MAIN idea developed further? (A) (B) (C) (D) It is developed further by emphasizing the idea that the Paris climate agreement will slow the effects of global warming, and then explaining the reasons President Trump no longer wants the United States to be a part of the Paris deal. It is developed further by comparing the number of cases of dengue fever today with the number of cases in 1990, and then explaining the reasons for the increase in the spread of the disease. It is developed further by outlining the plans scientists have developed to slow the impact of global warming, and then explaining the health problems people will experience if scientists are unsuccessful. It is developed further by describing some of the health problems associated with climate change, and then providing some steps people can take to fight global warming. 3 Read the selection from the introduction [paragraphs 1-4]. However, "glimmers of progress" remain, especially after the 2015 Paris agreement to limit heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions. Almost every country in the world agreed to the Paris deal, though President Donald Trump has said the United States will no longer be part of it. Adding which of the following sentences would help to explain what "emissions" means? (A) (B) (C) (D) By reducing the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the environment, scientists hope that we can slow the effects of global warming. Many states, however, have decided to make their own contributions to fight global warming. The aim of the Paris agreement is to keep global temperatures from rising. Leaders around the world were disappointed that President Trump decided to pull the United States out of the Paris climate agreement. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5

6 4 Read the following words from the introduction [paragraphs 1-4]. 1. hope 2. heal 3. progress How do these words develop the tone of the article? (A) (B) (C) (D) by suggesting that global warming is having less of an impact on people's health than previously thought by suggesting that there is a lot of work that needs to be done to halt the harmful effects of global warming by conveying a sense of optimism that the harmful effects of global warming can be curtailed by conveying a sense of certainty that the Earth will recover from the effects of global warming This article is available at 5 reading levels at 6