Storm clouds on the horizon

Climate change is now something that we cannot close our eyes to, and governments all over the world have finally realized that they have to sit up and take notice. These are some of the things that many scientists predict will happen if we carry on polluting the atmosphere with CO₂ emissions.

Short term: by the year 2050

• More than a third of the world's plant and animal species will have 1.___________ extinct.

• The ice in the Arctic Sea will melt every summer, causing the extinction of polar bears, and many glaciers, for example on Mount Kilimanjaro, will have 2._____________ completely.

• 50% of the world’s ski resorts will have 3.____________ due to lack of snow.

Mid term: by the year 2100

• Sea levels will have 4. ____________ by between 16cm and 69cm. This means that low-lying islands like the Maldives will no longer be habitable.

• The number of serious coastal storms and tsunamis will have 5. ____________. Northern European cities, e.g. Paris and London will be 6. ____________ 50 days a year of heatwaves when temperatures are over 30°C (there are currently 6-9 days).

Long term: by the year 3000

• Temperatures will have 7. ____________ by about 15°C.

• Sea levels will have 8. ____________ by more than 11 metres, flooding large areas of Bangladesh, and many low-lying cities, such as London. Hundreds of millions of people will be displaced.

• One third of the world will be 9. ____________ from extreme droughts, and half the world will be 10. ____________ moderate droughts. Tens of millions of Africans will have to emigrate.

/From New English File. Upper-intermediate Student’s book. Clive Oxenden, Christina Latham-Koenig/

3. Compare your answers with a partner.

4. Match the underlined verb forms from the text with the correct tense names, i)-iii).

1. The ice in the Arctic Sea will melt every summer…

2. 50% of the world’s ski resorts will have closed down…

3. One third of the world will be suffering from extreme droughts…

1. the future with will

2. the future continuous

3. the future perfect

5. Fill in the gaps in the descriptions with the correct tense names from Exercise 4.

To make predictions about the future in general we often use a)_____________.

To predict an action in progress at a particular time in the future we use b)____________.

c)_____________ locates an action that will happen before a particular time in the future.

Language Bank Future Perfect and Future Continuous

1. future perfect: will have + past participle

We use the future perfect:

• To describe or predict an event that will be completed before a particular time in the future:

Phil will have completed his course by this time next month.

• When you’re sure, because of your knowledge of events, that something has happened somewhere else:

Maddie will have met Peter at the airport by now. (I know the plane arrived at 4.00 and it is now 4.30)

2. future continuous: will be + verb + -ing

We use the future continuous :

• To describe or predict an activity in progress at a particular time in the future:

This time next week I’ll be flying to Mexico.

• To describe a future action or event that is already organized, decided or known. Compare: Don’t worry, I’ll be picking Karen up at 8.00. (already decided)

OK, I’ll pick Karen up at 8.00. (decision at the time of speaking)

This use sounds more formal than the present continuous for future plans.

• To describe something we know is happening now somewhere else:

I mustn’t phone my father now. He’ll be watching the football.

/From Developing Grammar in Context. Mark Nettle and Diana Hopkins/

Grammar practice