Mr Quang: Good morning, class. Today's lesson will start with Mai and Nam's talk about some of the causes and consequences of global warming. Would you like to go first, Mai?

Mai: Yes, thank you. First, let me remind you what global warming refers to - it's the increase in the earth's temperature because of certain gases in the atmosphere.

Nam: Exactly. These gases are mainly produced through human activities. For example, burnt for energy, fossil fuels release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Mr Quang: But how do these gases make the earth warmer?

Mai: Well, they act like the glass in a greenhouse. Trapping too much of the sun's heat, they stop it from escaping back into space. This makes the planet hotter and hotter.

Nam: That's right. That's why these heat-trapping pollutants are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse effect.

Mai: Global warming is also linked to rising sea levels. As temperatures rise, polar ice caps melt faster, adding more water to oceans. Higher sea levels can also lead to floods.

Nam: Each year, the consequences of global warming become more serious, and its negative impact on the environment and people gets stronger.

Mr Quang: Good job! Thank you for sharing the information.

In 1994, the UN decided to bring together world leaders for an annual event, known as COP or ‘Conference of Parties', to discuss climate change. This year's conference will review what has been achieved and discuss the key goals.

The first goal is to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C. This will require reducing global CO2, emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, and by 2050 achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and those removed from it.

The second goal is to reduce the use of coal, which is the dirtiest fuel and biggest source of planet-warming CO2 emissions. Countries will have to stop building new coal plants and switch to clean sources of energy.

The third goal is to end deforestation. Forests remove CO2 from the atmosphere and slow global warming. But when they are cut down or burnt, they release the carbon stored in the trees into the atmosphere as CO2. Stopping deforestation is, therefore, an effective solution to climate change.

The last key goal is to reduce methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is more powerful than CO2 at warming the earth. It is responsible for nearly one-third of current warming from human activities. Methane comes from farming activities and landfill waste. The production and use of coal, oil, and natural gas also release methane.

This conference is very important because this is the best last chance we have to slow global warming. World leaders, climate experts, organisations, and national representatives will carefully discuss these goals and agree on how to make global progress on climate change.

In 1994, the UN decided to bring together world leaders for an annual event, known as COP or ‘Conference of Parties', to discuss climate change. This year's conference will review what has been achieved and discuss the key goals.

The first goal is to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C. This will require reducing global CO2, emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, and by 2050 achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and those removed from it.

The second goal is to reduce the use of coal, which is the dirtiest fuel and biggest source of planet-warming CO2 emissions. Countries will have to stop building new coal plants and switch to clean sources of energy.

The third goal is to end deforestation. Forests remove CO2 from the atmosphere and slow global warming. But when they are cut down or burnt, they release the carbon stored in the trees into the atmosphere as CO2. Stopping deforestation is, therefore, an effective solution to climate change.

The last key goal is to reduce methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is more powerful than CO2 at warming the earth. It is responsible for nearly one-third of current warming from human activities. Methane comes from farming activities and landfill waste. The production and use of coal, oil, and natural gas also release methane.

This conference is very important because this is the best last chance we have to slow global warming. World leaders, climate experts, organisations, and national representatives will carefully discuss these goals and agree on how to make global progress on climate change.

REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FARMING

Farming provides us with the food that we eat every day. But farming activities also have a strong warming impact on the global temperature. The good news is that experts have already started thinking about how to reduce it.

Raising farm animals like cows, goats, and sheep makes the planet hotter. There are billions of them and they release methane, a greenhouse gas that is much more dangerous than carbon dioxide. That is why scientists are developing methane-catching face masks for cows. They are intended to reduce methane emissions by up to 50 per cent per cow.

Another farming activity that heats the atmosphere is growing rice. According to research, emissions from rice farms have the same warming effect as about 600 coal plants. Flooded rice fields also make it easier for soil bacteria to produce greenhouse gases. New farming methods have allowed rice to grow well in drier fields, limit the amount of greenhouse gases, use less water, and produce better crops.

In addition, land-use increases the global temperature. Plants and trees use CO2 to grow and store large amounts of carbon underground. Cutting down or burning forests to create farm fields and land for feeding animals releases tonnes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year. Luckily, many countries and world leaders have agreed to protect the forests and end deforestation.

In short, there are some positive signs that farmers can meet the environmental challenges. However, although the impact of farming on the global temperature has been reduced, there is still much to do.