Langues_en_ligne

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Dossier pédagogique
Anglais
Le changement climatique :
vers une remise en question
des droits de l’homme ?
Climate change: is it
questioning Human Rights?
Disciplines associées : géographie,
histoire
Lycée / B1-B2
Fiche Corrigé 4
Document 4 : article sur le site The Economist, www.economist.com . Tapez “Seasons of
discontent ” dans la barre de recherche.
1.
a)
b)
c)
Find information about El Niño :
Meaning in English: The Prince of Peace.
Definition: “sloshing of warm water across the Equatorial Pacific.”
Effect: increasing temperatures and/or lowering rainfall.
2. Explain the two sets of data used:
a) Political data: risks of civil war.
b) Geographical data: 93 countries where the weather has an important role
to play.
3. In years of El Niño, how many internal conflicts have been triggered by
weather conditions?
“1/5 of internal conflicts were affected by it.”
4. What has changed in terms of place and time?
Place
Before
Now
Time
South America
Christmas time
Africa
Start in April or May
5. Economic factors.
a) What are the two aggravating factors?
Poverty of people and poor harvests create famine.
b) Which historical facts can be linked to these factors?
Anglais – Lycée / B1-B2 – Le changement climatique :
vers une remise en questions des droits de l’homme ?
© 2011 – SCÉRÉN – CNDP
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The Boxer uprising in China in 1900 and the French Revolution were both direct
consequences of a “niño-related famine”.
6. How can you justify the fact that the warmer the weather is, the more likely
conflicts break out?
Because of poor harvests due to the lack of rainfall or the dramatic increase of
temperature, people are poorer and are more likely to accept to be enrolled as rebels to
get some money to survive.
7. Why are the researchers so pessimistic?
First, their research shows humans’ lack of adaptation to these new challenges. Then wars
are more likely to break out in the poorest countries that have difficulties to develop their
economy. This sounds like a vicious circle.
8. React to the last sentence: “People do adapt to climate challenges – by
fighting each other.”
Anglais – Lycée / B1-B2 – Le changement climatique :
vers une remise en questions des droits de l’homme ?
© 2011 – SCÉRÉN – CNDP