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  3. By now, the headlines about dead whales washing ashore with pounds of plastic in their belly are commonplace. But plastic’s effe

By now, the headlines about dead whales washing ashore with pounds of plastic in their belly are commonplace. But plastic’s effe

admin2022-05-13  35
问题     By now, the headlines about dead whales washing ashore with pounds of plastic in their belly are commonplace. But plastic’s effects on nature doesn’t stop there—it’s also making climate change worse. A new report published this week by the Center for International Environmental Law details the greenhouse gas emissions from each step in the lifecycle of plastics: from fossil fuel extraction, transport and refining to the production of consumer goods, the managing of plastic waste, and the increase of trash in the oceans. The study authors warn that, if demand for plastics continues to rise, the material’s contribution to climate change will grow significantly.
    This year, emissions from plastics will equal the pollution output of nearly 200 coal-fired power plants with a 500-megawatt capacity, the report finds. The authors estimate that emissions from plastic will reach the equivalent of nearly 300 coal plants in 2030 and over 600 in 2050. They speculate that their predictions underestimate the situation, " due to limitations in the availability and accuracy of certain data. "
    The report also warns that expanding current plastic production will make it "impossible" for the world to meet the Paris Climate Accord’s goal of preventing global warming from exceeding 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial averages. United Nations scientists predict that warming beyond that point would result in catastrophic climate change.
    "We need to cut emissions by 45 percent by 2030," Carroll Muffett, president of CIEL, told Popular Science. "Plastics are ready to do almost exactly the opposite. " "Once the plastics are released into the environment," Muffett added, "they continue to impact the climate in perpetuity. Unless they are recycled, of which the vast majority are not. "
    Over 90％ of plastics are not recycled, according to a major study published in 2017. Most of this waste is landfilled, while 12％ is burned. In addition, millions of tons of plastic trash end up in the ocean each year. Despite a growing awareness of the problem, demand for plastics has not decreased. People bought over 300 million tons of new plastic in 2014, a figure that’s expected to more than double by 2030, according to research agency IHS Markit.
    The CIEL report proposes solutions to our plastic crisis, recommending an end to the creation of single-use plastics, such as shopping bags and excessive wrapping for food items. The study authors also recommend putting a stop to the development of new oil, gas, and petrochemical infrastructure, and they state that plastic producers should be held responsible for their role in the problem.
What will happen to most of the plastics released into the environment?
选项 A、They will decrease sharply.
B、They will disappear gradually.
C、They will be recycled immediately.
D、They are there to stay.
答案D
解析 细节题。根据题干中的plastics和released into the environment可定位至第四段倒数第二句Once the plastics are released into the environment“一旦塑料被释放到环境中”，由此，可以确定答案句为they continue to impact the climate in perpetuity. “它们继续永久地影响气候”，与D项表述一致，故D项为正确答案；A项B项与定位句意思相悖，属是非混淆；C项与原文Unless they are recycled，of which the vast majority are not相悖，且脱离定位，故排除。故本题答案为D项。
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