Презентация к уроку на тему "Экологические проблемы"

Слайд #1

THE BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
OF 2021

Слайд #2

FOOD WASTE
A third of the food intended for human consumption- around 1.3 billion tons- is wasted or lost. This is enough to feed 3 billion people. 
Food waste and loss occurs at different stages in developing and developed countries; in developing countries, 40% of food waste occurs at the post-harvest and processing levels, while in developed countries, 40% of food waste occurs at the retail and consumer levels. 
At the retail level, a shocking amount of food is wasted because of aesthetic reasons; in fact, in the US, more than 50% of all produce thrown away in the US is done so because it is deemed to be “too ugly” to be sold to consumers- this amounts to about 60 million tons of fruits and vegetables.

Слайд #3

BIODIVERSITY LOSS
Biodiversity loss includes the extinction of species worldwide, as well as the local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat, resulting in a loss of biological diversity.
The past 50 years have seen a rapid growth of human consumption, population, global trade and urbanization, resulting in humanity using more of the Earth’s resources than it can replenish (восполнить) naturally. The scientists say that without the human destruction of nature, this rate of loss would have taken thousands of years. 
A recent WWF report found that the population sizes of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians have experienced a decline of an average of 68% between 1970 and 2016. The report attributes this biodiversity loss to a variety of factors, but mainly land-use change, particularly the conversion of habitats, like forests, grasslands and mangroves, into agricultural systems. 

Слайд #4

PLASTIC POLLUTION
A report by a science journal shows that currently, roughly 
11 million tons of plastic make its way into the oceans every year, harming wildlife habitats and the animals that live in them.
Shockingly, National Geographic found that 91% of all plastic that has ever been made is not recycled, representing not only one of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime, but another massive market failure. Considering that plastic takes 400 years to decompose, it will be many generations until it ceases to exist.

Слайд #5

DEFORESTATION
Every minute, forests the size of 20 football fields are cut down. By the year 2030, the planet might have only 10% of its forests; if deforestation isn’t stopped, they could all be gone in less than 100 years. 
Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, another one of the biggest environmental problems appearing on this list. Land is cleared to raise livestock or to plant other crops that are sold, such as sugar cane and palm oil.
The three countries experiencing the highest levels of deforestation are Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia.

Слайд #6

AIR POLLUTION
Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that an estimated 4.2 to 7 million people die from air pollution  worldwide every year and that nine out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants.
Causes of air pollution mostly comes from industrial sources and motor vehicles, as well as emissions from burning biomass and poor air quality due to dust storms. 

Слайд #7

Global Warming From Fossil Fuels

Increased emissions of greenhouse gases have caused temperatures to rise, which are causing catastrophic events all over the world- just this year has seen
Australia experience one of the most devastating bushfire seasons ever recorded,
locusts swarming (роящаяся саранча) across parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, decimating crops;
a heatwave in Antarctica that saw temperatures rise above 20 degrees for the first time,
warnings of advancing permafrost melt in Arctic regions, the Greenland ice sheet melting at an unprecedented rate,
China experiencing its worst floods in decades,
methane levels rising to their highest on record, etc.
The climate crisis is causing tropical storms and other weather events such as hurricanes, heat waves and flooding to be more intense and frequent than seen before.

Слайд #8

Melting Ice Caps and Sea Level Rise

The climate crisis is warming the Arctic more than twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet. Seas are now rising an average of 3.2 mm per year globally and are predicted to climb to a total of 0.2 to 2m by 2100. In the Arctic, the Greenland Ice Sheet poses the greatest risk for sea levels because melting land ice is the main cause of rising sea levels. If the entire Greenland ice sheet melts, sea level would rise by six metres.
The sea level rise will have a devastating impact on those living in coastal regions: sea level rise this century could flood coastal areas that are now home to 340 million to 480 million people, forcing them to migrate to safer areas and contributing to overpopulation and strain of resources in the areas they migrate to. (Take Shanghai’s megalopolis for example, which is built around the low-lying Yangtze river delta. As the fourth most populous city in the world, the flood risk in the area is high due to its geographical position. )

Слайд #9

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
Global temperature rise has not only affected the surface, but it is the main cause of ocean acidification. Our oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide that is released into the Earth’s atmosphere. As higher concentrations of carbon emissions are released thanks to human activities such as burning fossil fuels as well as effects of global climate change such as increased rates of wildfires, so do the amount of carbon dioxide that is absorbed back into the sea. 
Ocean acidification can have a ripple effect across marine ecosystems and species, its food webs, and provoked changes in habitat quality. Once pH levels reach too low, marine organisms such as oysters, their shells and skeleton could even start to dissolve. 
However, one of the biggest ocean acidification effects can be seen with coral bleaching and subsequent coral reef loss. 

Слайд #10

SOIL DEGRADATION
Excessive grazing, monoculture plantations, erosion, soil compaction (уплотнение, сжатие), overexposure (чрезмерное воздействие) to pollutants, and conversion of land use are just some of the ways soil is being damaged.
According to official estimates, about 12 million hectares of farms are seriously degraded each year.
Since food safety depends on keeping the soil in good condition, people need to find appropriate solutions to this problem.
Scientists and environmentalists have continuously warned that we need to rethink our current food system; switching to a more plant-based diet would dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the conventional agriculture industry. 

Слайд #11

Food and Water Insecurity

Rising temperatures and unsustainable (неприемлемые) farming practices has resulted in the increasing threat of water and food insecurity. 
With the global population expected to reach 9 billion people by mid-century, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) projects that global food demand may increase by 70% by 2050. Around the world, more than 820 million people do not get enough to eat. 
In terms of water security, only 3% of the world’s water is fresh water, and two-thirds of that is tucked away in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use. As a result, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. 

Слайд #12

Earth Is In Danger
The global environmental problems represent a danger to the Earth if it wants to remain a habitable place for humans and other species.
With so many natural disasters, global warming, cooling periods and changing weather patterns, people should be more aware of the kind of environmental problems the planet is facing.