23年高考英语外刊阅读理解训练——为什么地质学要可持续发展

23年高考英语外刊阅读理解训练——为什么地质学要可持续发展 ——改编自Why geology must abandon fossil fuels and embrace sustainability Geologists have traditionally been associated with fossil fuel exploration, but it is time for them to prioritize sustainable development goals and climate change instead, according to Christopher Jackson. In today’s world, the importance of scientists in our everyday lives has become more evident. For example, vaccinologists have succeeded in creating vaccinations to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, while virologists, epidemiologists, and behavioural scientists have directly influenced government policies that regulate our movements to keep us safe. While pandemics come and go, global warming is a more persistent threat to the environment, global health, and economic well-being. Geologists have the pivotal role of understanding and eventually influencing policies that aim to decrease the effects of climate change. Geologists are not simply involved in studying rocks, contra a common misconception. Geologists are taught to observe what the rocks reveal about Earth's past, present, and possible future structure and evolution. Geological processes and climate are intertwined, as numerous complex physical and chemical links and feedbacks exist between Earth's surface and subsurface rocks, atmosphere, oceans, and ice caps, as well as life in all these places. The geological record bears witness to such processes, demonstrating that atmospheric CO2 is at its highest level in at least the past 3 million years, with the current pace of planetary warming unprecedented in Earth’s history. Accordingly, geologists employ the geological record to evaluate the prediction accuracy of complicated numerical models used in foreseeing the future climate and its influence on Earth’s habitability. But there’s an ironic twist here, given that geologists ' work also underpins the detection and use of climate-heating fossil fuels. To fully embrace the idea of “sustainable geoscience,” this