A Sunshade for the Planet Even with the best will in the world, reducing our carbon emissions is not going to prevent global

admin2013-11-25  22

问题                         A Sunshade for the Planet
    Even with the best will in the world, reducing our carbon emissions is not going to prevent global warming. It has become clear that even if we take the most strong measures to control emissions, the uncertainties in our climate models still leave open the possibility of extreme warming and rises in sea level. At the same time, resistance by governments and special interest groups makes it quite possible that the actions suggested by climate scientists might not be implemented soon enough.
    Fortunately, if the worst comes to the worst, scientists still have a few tricks up their sleeves. For the most part they have strongly resisted discussing these options for fear of inviting a sense of complacency that might thwart efforts to tackle the root of the problem. Until now, that is. A growing number of researchers are taking a fresh look at large-scale "geo-engineering" projects that might be used to counteract global warming. "I use the analogy of methadone, " says Stephen Schneider, a climate researcher at Stanford University in California who was among the first to draw attention to global warming. "If you have a heroin addict, the correct treatment is hospitalization, and a long rehab. But if they absolutely refuse, methadone is better than heroin. "
    Basically the idea is to apply "sunscreen" to the whole planet. One astronomer has come up with a radical plan to cool Earth; launch trillions of feather-light discs into space, where they would form a vast cloud that would block the sun’s rays. It’s controversial, but recent studies suggest there are ways to deflect just enough of the sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface to counteract the warming produced by the greenhouse effect. Global climate models show that blocking just 1. 8 per cent of the incident energy in the sun’s rays would cancel out the warming effects produced by a doubling of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. That could be crucial, because even the most severe emissions-control measures being proposed would leave us with a doubling of carbon dioxide by the end of this century, and that would last for at least a century more.
What is Stephen Schneider’s idea of preventing global warming?

选项 A、To ask governments to take stronger measures.
B、To increase the sunlight reaching the Earth.
C、To apply sunscreen to the Earth.
D、To decrease greenhouse gases.

答案C

解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://jikaoti.com/ti/kkOsFFFM
0

最新回复(0)