A cleaner and greener nation

Over the past 20 years there have been considerable air-quality improvements in the United Kingdom – new, stricter targets have been set. The UK was one of just three European Nation countries to experience a reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions in the years up to the end of the century.

The introduction of cleaner fuels and improved engines has led to reductions of more than 40 per cent in road traffic emissions for some of the main pollutants, despite a significant rise in vehicles over the same period. In road safety terms the UK is also the safest country in Europe to live in, despite increasing volumes of traffic.

Nine out of 10 adults questioned expressed their concern about the environment and many have joined environmental or countryside organisations. One of these, the National Trust, has been its membership rise tenfold in 30 years.

Spreading urban dwelling has led to huge strain being put on the land, space, wildlife, atmosphere and water. Attempts to reduce these pressures are reflected in the UK strategy for sustainable development which aims to protect the environment and reduce the impact that human activity has upon on it.

The population is recycling 10 per cent of its household waste and the government has now set new targets which look for a figure of 30 per cent in the years to come. Over the last 10 years the UK has adopted a sustainable policy of encouraging the planting of trees indigenous to a region and, as a result, there has been a massive increase in the planting of broad-leaved trees, as opposed to conifers.

The UK now has more than 200 offshore gas and oilfields in production, with significant reserves remaining under the sea, enough to last another 12 to 16 years, with predicted discoveries expected to increase these figures.

Although the UK has these resources, it is also a leader in European terms in making use of landfill, and sewage gas and there is a big drive to produce more electricity from wind, solar power and biomass, with the government setting a 10 per cent target for power from renewable sources by 2010.

London Press Service (1700)

Notes

road safety безопасность дорог

improved engines усовершенствованные двигатели

tenfold в десять раз, вдесятеро

strain напряжение

attempt попытка

sustainable непрерывный

reduce, v the impact снизить воздействие, уменьшить влияние

encourage, v [in′kΛridз] поддерживать

trees indigenous [in′didзinəs] to a region местные породы деревьев

conifers [′kəunifə] хвойные деревья

significant [sig′nifikənt] значительный, важный

remain, v оставаться

5. Translate the following word combinations. Pay attention to the forms of adjectives:

cleaner and greener nation, stricter targets, cleaner fuels, the safest country in Europe to live in, has more than 200 offshore gas and oilfields.

6. Translate the following complex words:

countryside, wildlife, broad-leaved, household, landfill.

7. Complete the following sentences:

1. Over the past 20 years there have been … … … in the United Kingdom – new, stricter … … … ….. 2. The introduction of … … and improved engines … … to reductions of more than 40 per cent in … … … for some of the main …. 3. Nine out of 10 … questioned … their concern about … and many have joined environmental or … …. 4. Over the last … years the UK has adopted … … of encouraging the planting of trees … … … and, as a result, there has been a … … in the planting of … …, as opposed to ….

8. Answer the questions:

1. What considerable improvements have been over the past 20 years in the United Kingdom? 2. What has the introduction of cleaner fuels and improved engines led to? 3. Is the UK the safest country in Europe in road safety terms? 4. Do many people concern about the environment in the UK? 5. What is the percentage of recycling of household waste in the UK? 6. How many offshore gas and oilfields are there in the UK? 7. How does the UK use renewable sources?

9. Translate into English:

1. Великобритания была одной из трех европейских стран, где произошло значительное снижение выбросов СО₂. за последние 20 лет. 2. Введение в эксплуатацию более чистого топлива и усовершенствованных двигателей привело к уменьшению выхлопных газов более чем на 40 %, несмотря на значительное увеличение количества транспорта на дорогах. 3. Девять из десяти опрошенных лиц совершеннолетнего возраста выразили обеспокоенность состоянием окружающей среды. 4. Стратегия Великобритании имеет целью защитить окружающую среду и снизить воздействие человеческой деятельности на неё. 5. Сегодня население перерабатывает 10 процентов домашних отходов. 6. За последние 10 лет значительно увеличилось количество посадок широколиственных деревьев по сравнению с хвойными деревьями.