Population explosion!

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Population growth
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Alice: Hello, I'm Alice…
Finn: And I'm Finn.…
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about population
growth and the effects it might have on the world. At the moment it’s
estimated that there are about 7 billion people on the planet.
Finn: It’s estimated – experts make an educated guess at the number of people based
on research.
Alice: If projections are correct experts think there could be 9.5 billion people by the
year 2075.
Finn: Projections – the estimated number of people calculated by looking at
population changes over time.
Alice: Experts say there will be a population explosion.
Finn: That means a dramatic and very fast increase.
Alice: So before we find out more – I have a question for you Finn. How many zeros
are there after the 1 in a billion?
a) 12 b) 9 c) 6
Finn: Let’s guess. A thousand million. A million is 6 zeros so a thousand – 9, 9 zeros.
Alice: As usual, I won’t tell you the answer now - but we’ll find out at the end of the
programme. So let’s see how population growth is going to change the way
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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our planet works. The Institute of Mechanical Engineers recently published a
report about how technology could help us manage larger populations. They
say it’s the defining challenge of the century.
Finn: That’s the most important issue in the next 90 years.
Alice: Here’s the BBC’s environment analyst Roger Harrabin:
Insert 2: Roger Harrabin
One author of today’s report described population growth as the defining challenge of
the century - bigger even than climate change. The report says work needs to start now
on technological solutions for a world of nine and a half billion people. Many of the
practical ideas in the report have been welcomed by development groups.
Alice: Roger Harrabin says that population growth is even more important than
climate change. The report says that engineers need to start work now to find
technological solutions to provide enough food, water, energy and homes for
nine and a half billion people.
Finn: Technological solutions – that’s the use of technology to invent or improve
something.
Alice: One of the authors of the report is Tim Fox, Head of Energy, Environment and
Climate Change at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He says that
engineers have already created technologies which can deal with the challenge
of providing food, water, energy and homes for everyone in the world in 2075.
But one area he says we can try and improve on is wasting less food:
Insert 2: Dr Tim Fox
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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The challenge of providing food, water, energy and homes internationally can be met
through existing technologies that are available today. So something like 50% of food is
wasted in newly developing countries between the field and the market place – now here
in the highly industrialised countries we’ve solved that problem sustainably through the
use of refrigeration and transportation mechanisms that are highly optimised and we
waste all our food between the supermarket and our consumption.
Alice: What did Dr Tim Fox of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers say were the
two technological improvements we could make to stop wasting so much food?
Finn: He said we could improve refrigeration and transportation
Alice: Dr Tim Fox said that something like 50% of food is wasted in newly developed
countries between the field and the market place. This could be improved by
having better refrigeration and transportation from the farm to markets and
shops. What did he say about developed countries?
Finn: In developed countries the system of refrigeration and transportation has been
optimised.
Alice: optimised – that means it has been developed so that it is extremely efficient
and can’t be improved upon. But he says that in highly industrialised countries
– countries that are very developed economically – food is wasted between the
supermarket and people’s consumption.
Finn: That means that people might buy a lot of food at the supermarket but end up
throwing it away – they don’t consume it. Now, before we go let’s find out the
answer to the question I asked you at the beginning of the programme. How
many zeros come after the 1 in a billion? a. 12, b.9, c.6
Finn: I guessed b. 9
Alice: You’re right. And your prize, Finn, is to read out some of the words and
phrases we’ve heard in today’s programme.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Finn: What could be better? Here we go:
population
billion
it’s estimated
projection
explosion
defining challenge
technological solutions
refrigeration
transportation
optimised
consumption
Alice: Thanks so much for that Finn. We hope you’ve had fun with us today on "6
Minute English" - and that you’ll join us again next time.
Both: Bye.
Vocabulary and definitions
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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population the total number of people living in a particular country or
region
billion a thousand million (in some parts of the world a million
million)
it’s estimated experts have made approximate calculations of how much
something is likely to be or cost
projection an expected outcome
explosion here, a large, sudden increase
defining challenge a difficult or demanding task that will shape or characterise
related events
technological solution the use of technology to solve a problem or find an answer
refrigeration keeping something at a constant, cold temperature
transportation moving things or people from one place to another
optimised to have made something become as best as it can be
consumption here, eating or drinking something
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12160715
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/01/110119_6min_populations_page.shtml