If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the text.
Use the vocabulary list to check the meanings of some words before you listen.
Vocabulary
bioeconomy – the economy linked to the natural world
drought – a long period of time when there is little or no rain
overwhelm – to be so bad that someone or something cannot cope
wastewater – used water that contains waste substances from homes, factories and farms
stormwater – rainwater in urban areas that goes down drains and directly into rivers, lakes or the sea
wildfire – a fire that spreads quickly and is difficult to control
forestry – the science or industry of growing or managing forests
atmosphere – the mixture of gases around the Earth
pest – an animal or insect that destroys crops
disaster – a sudden event such as flood, storm, which causes great damage or suffering
budget – (in this context, verb) to carefully plan and control how much money you spend
expenditure – spending
hazard – something that may be dangerous or cause problems
resilience – the ability to become strong, happy, or successful again after a difficult situation or event
underway – happening now
reform – a change made to a system in order to improve it
emissions – gases that are sent into the air
Try these activities while listening
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- What is the purpose of the report?
- What is climate change leading to?
- Why could higher temperatures make buildings in New Zealand unliveable?
- Fill in the gaps: ______ seas, more ______ and ______ rain, and floods can ______ wastewater and ______ networks and ______ buildings, roads and ______ networks.
- Why is forestry important?
- What can damage forests?
- Why are severe disasters difficult to budget for?
- Since 2010, what percentage of the Government’s expenditure on natural hazards has been on risk reduction and resilience?
- True or false: Acting now will increase costs across the economy.
- In which area are major reforms currently underway?
- What does the country need to do?
- When must the Minister of Climate Change respond to the report?
News story
The Climate Change Commission released its ‘National climate change risk assessment’ report on 7 May. The report identifies the most significant risks to New Zealand from climate change and shows where planning and investment can make the biggest difference. There are ten risk areas grouped into four categories: key infrastructure, communities and safety, nature and the bioeconomy, and decisions and funding.
Climate change is leading to rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, which impact all aspects of daily life, particularly infrastructure. For example, drought and higher temperatures can put drinking water supplies under pressure. Higher temperatures could make buildings in New Zealand unliveable because most are not designed for them and, for instance, do not have air conditioning. Rising seas, more frequent and intense rain, and floods can overwhelm wastewater and stormwater networks and damage buildings, roads and rail networks.
Climate change has other significant effects. Experiencing disasters causes stress, and the risk of more disasters from floods or sea-level rise can diminish people’s sense of safety. This has a negative impact on people’s emotional and mental health and on communities. It is not only people who are affected, however. Higher temperatures change the living conditions for animals, birds, fish, and insects, and extreme weather events and wildfires damage their environment. The economy is also impacted. For instance, forestry is important for export earnings but also for the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, forests can be damaged by drought, wildfire, and new pests and diseases.
According to the report, climate change is leading to growing pressure on both central and local government finances. More frequent and severe disasters cost more to recover from. They are also difficult to budget for because they can’t be predicted. However, governments need to plan and budget for adapting to climate change. Recent research suggests that since 2010, 97 percent of the Government’s expenditure on natural hazards has been on disaster response and recovery, and only 3 percent on risk reduction and resilience. The report states that there is a need for immediate action, particularly because the decisions about adaptation take time. Acting now will reduce costs across the economy.
The report highlights that work is already underway in some areas. For example, there are currently major reforms to water infrastructure, so the report states that this is an important opportunity to build resilience to climate hazards. If this is not achieved, water infrastructure will be at extreme risk by 2050. In other areas, more work is needed. For instance, some communities may need to move permanently, so planning and managing relocation needs to be done well. The Government’s current National Adaptation Framework does not address this issue, and it is not clear how relocation can be funded.
The report also notes that the country needs to keep trying to reduce emissions so that climate change does not get significantly worse.
Now the Government needs to respond to this report. After publication of a national climate change risk assessment, the Minister of Climate Change must respond with a new national adaptation plan within two years. This needs to address the most significant risks identified in the risk assessment.
Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer.
a. What is the purpose of the report?
It identifies the most significant risks to New Zealand from climate change and shows where planning and investment can make the biggest difference
b. What is climate change leading to?
Rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events
c. Why could higher temperatures make buildings in New Zealand unliveable?
Most are not designed for higher temperatures and, for instance, do not have air conditioning
d. Fill in the gaps: Rising seas, more frequent and intense rain, and floods can overwhelm wastewater and stormwater networks and damage buildings, roads and rail networks.
e. Why is forestry important?
It’s important for export earnings and for the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
f. What can damage forests?
Drought, wildfire, and new pests and diseases
g. Why are severe disasters difficult to budget for?
Because they can’t be predicted
h. Since 2010, what percentage of the Government’s expenditure on natural hazards has been on risk reduction and resilience?
3%
i. True or false: Acting now will increase costs across the economy. False
j. In which area are major reforms currently underway?
Water infrastructure
k. What does the country need to do?
Keep trying to reduce emissions
l. When must the Minister of Climate Change respond to the report?
Within two years.