環(huán)球英語 — 315：Holland’s Rising Waters
Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight. I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Today’s Spotlight is on ways the country of Holland is learning to live with rising waters.
Voice 1
On January 31, 1953, a horrible storm hit the coast of Holland. The storm produced strong winds. And, the water of the North Sea rose higher. Gerry Myerman was just 9 years old. He remembers standing with his father next to the sea. A tall barrier stood between them and the sea. It held back the water. But Gerry’s father observed that the water might come over the barrier. If that happened their whole town would suffer greatly.
Voice 2
Gerry and his father ran into town. They woke up the town leaders. They had a meeting. But, nobody believed Gerry’s father. The leaders did not believe that the water would rise above the barrier. They said it would not happen because it had never happened before. The town did nothing.
Voice 1
An hour later the water rose above the barrier. Icy cold water flooded into the town. 2,000 people died. And the water destroyed over 72,000 homes. The people of the town demanded that something be done.
Voice 2
The Dutch government acted right away. They called in the country’s best engineers. The engineers created new barriers, new dams, and new metal floodgates. They believed that the water of the North Sea would never break through their barriers again.
Voice 1
Holland is a country that sits below sea-level. For over a 1,000 years, the people have tried to control the water of the sea surrounding them. And they have succeeded. Barriers protect Holland’s coast. And they are some of the best structures in the world. The people living along the coast no longer fear the water. But, things are changing.
Voice 2
Erik Boessenkool lives in Holland. He works with the Dutch government’s water planning service. He believes that something is threatening the Dutch water barriers. He says that soon the barriers will not be able to protect the coast. What is this threat? Boessenkool describes the threat in six words. “Climate change, climate change, climate change.”
Voice 1
The Earth’s climate is changing. Along with climate change comes rising temperatures. Rising temperatures mean rising water. Now, after a 1,000 years of keeping the sea out, the Dutch are trying to accept new ways to deal with the sea. They have decided to let the water in. And they are trying new ways to live with the rising water.
Voice 2
There are many experts who study climate change models. These experts believe that there will be more winter rain in Europe. That will bring high water to the rivers that flow into Holland. Because of this the government of Holland has decided to make some changes. It will not build higher barriers to contain the water. Instead, the government has decided to lower the barriers in forty [40] different areas. These areas will flood when the rivers rise. This will lower the pressure from the other barriers further down the river. It will prevent more areas from flooding. This new project is called “Room for the River.”
Voice 1
But, what will happen to the people living in these 40 flood areas? Their lives will have to change. Some will have to move away. They are not happy, but they understand the need. But, other people have a different idea. They want to learn to live with the rising water. They are asking the world this question, “Do we have to live on dry land?”
Voice 2
Today Dutch scientists, engineers and builders are coming up with ways to turn difficulty into opportunity. They are working together to design a “new” Holland, a Holland that will float on water. They have already created houses that can float if necessary.
Voice 1
You see, these houses have special bases. The bases sit on the river bottom. The bases are actually under water. If the river level rises, the house and the base will float up with the water level. Special pipes keep the house connected to the electricity lines even when the house is floating. Mariana Smits owns one of these floating houses.
Voice 2
Mariana’s house has not had to float yet. But climate experts estimate that the river will start flooding about once every 12 years. So, Mariana will be ready.
Voice 3
“In the other village where we lived, there was always the water. I was very scared. Two times we had to quickly leave our old house because of rising water. This was very scary for us. Then we got the chance to buy this house. It is a safe place.”
Voice 1
Builders in Holland are excited about floating houses. Before, they had to worry about floods. But now, they believe that they can build in flood areas. And their ideas have expanded to include more than just houses.
Voice 2
Experts believe that floating structures can be very stable and strong. Connecting more floating structures together makes the whole structure even stronger. That is how they plan to create a floating village.
Voice 1
We will not see a floating village for a long time. But, the idea is there. And the time is right to be thinking about ways to deal with climate change. As time goes on, more and more people will have to change their lives because of rising waters. In fact, the United Nations’ reports that floods will affect millions of people in the future.
Voice 2
The Dutch have always been the experts when dealing with rising water. For years they have successfully held back the water. But, times are changing. The world is facing a new problem. And building higher walls will not solve it. Finding new ways to live with environmental change is one good way to face the problem of climate change. Floating homes, gardens and villages may help many people in the future. But, another good way to face the problem of climate change is to learn ways to stop climate change.
