IELTS Listening Lecture Sheet
Lecture Title: The Impact of Climate Change on Global Agriculture
Sections Covered: Section 1 and Section 2
Language Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
Section 1: Introduction to Climate Change and Agriculture
Good afternoon, everyone. Today, we will talk about how climate change affects global agriculture. This topic
is important in both environmental science and economics.
Let's start by understanding what climate change means.
Climate change is the long-term change in temperature and weather patterns. In many cases, this change is
caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. These actions increase the
level of greenhouse gases in the air. These gases trap heat and cause the Earth's temperature to rise. This is
also known as global warming.
Now, what is the difference between weather and climate? Weather refers to the short-term conditions in the
atmosphere, like rain or sunshine on a particular day. Climate, on the other hand, is the average of these
weather patterns over a longer period-usually 30 years or more.
Agriculture is directly connected to the climate. Plants and animals need a stable environment to grow and
reproduce. When the climate changes, it affects the growing seasons, water supply, and the health of crops
and livestock.
For example, in some regions, higher temperatures can reduce the amount of water in the soil. This can lead
to droughts, which make it harder for crops to grow. In other regions, more rainfall can cause flooding, which
damages fields and washes away important nutrients.
Climate change also increases the number of extreme weather events-like hurricanes, heatwaves, and heavy
rains. These events can destroy farms and reduce food production.
IELTS Listening Lecture Sheet
Let's quickly summarise:
- Climate change is mostly caused by human actions.
- It leads to global warming and extreme weather.
- Agriculture depends on the climate.
- Changes in temperature and rainfall affect farming.
Section 2: Effects on Crop Yields and Food Security
Now that we understand the basics, let's talk about how climate change affects crop yields and food security.
Crop yields refer to how much food a farmer can produce from a piece of land. When temperatures rise or
rainfall patterns change, it can reduce the amount of crops that grow successfully. Some crops, like wheat
and corn, are especially sensitive to temperature. Just a few degrees of warming can reduce their yields.
Another problem is that climate change brings more pests and diseases. Warmer temperatures help insects
survive longer and spread to new areas. These insects can destroy large parts of a harvest. For example, the
fall armyworm is now found in parts of Africa where it didn't exist before. It eats maize, one of the main food
sources in many countries.
Also, carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air can have mixed effects. On the one hand, plants need CO2 to grow. But
too much CO2, along with high temperatures, can reduce the nutritional value of crops. This means that food
might have fewer vitamins and minerals, which affects people's health.
Let's not forget food security. This means having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.
Climate change threatens food security in several ways:
1. It reduces food supply.
2. It increases food prices.
3. It makes it harder for poor communities to get enough food.
In summary:
IELTS Listening Lecture Sheet
- Crop yields may go down because of temperature and rainfall changes.
- Pests and diseases will spread more.
- CO2 may increase plant growth, but reduce nutrition.
- Food security becomes a bigger problem, especially in poor countries.
