How is Climate Change Influencing Global Conflict and Security?

The IELTS Reading test is a crucial part of the IELTs exam, which evaluates your ability to understand and process complex texts. One of the trending and critically important topics you might encounter is “How is climate change influencing global conflict and security?” This topic is not only relevant in today’s global environment but has also appeared in various forms in past IELTS exams. Given its pressing nature and ongoing relevance, there’s a significant likelihood that this topic or something closely related may appear in your upcoming IELTS test.

Reading Passage

In this section, you will find a reading passage formatted to resemble the IELTS Reading exam. The text has been carefully constructed to match the complexity of a Medium Text format.

Climate Change and Global Conflict: An Emerging Crisis

Climate change is increasingly being recognized not just as an environmental challenge but as a significant factor influencing global security and conflict. The rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and changing precipitation patterns are not just altering natural ecosystems but also impacting human societies in profound ways. This shift is intensifying existing conflicts and creating new flashpoints around the world.

One of the primary ways climate change exacerbates conflict is through resource scarcity. As temperatures rise and precipitation patterns shift, water supplies are dwindling in many regions, leading to increased competition among communities and nations. For instance, in regions like the Middle East and North Africa, already strained by limited water resources, the situation is deteriorating further, escalating tensions and sometimes even leading to violent confrontations.

Water Scarcity Conflict

Agricultural productivity is another area significantly impacted by climate change, affecting food security worldwide. In places such as Sub-Saharan Africa, changes in climate have led to reduced crop yields, heightening food scarcity and contributing to economic instability. This, in turn, can contribute to social unrest and, in extreme cases, spark conflicts over food supplies.

Furthermore, the migration induced by climate change is creating pressure points in different parts of the world. Rising sea levels, severe droughts, and increased frequency of natural disasters are forcing populations to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. This large-scale displacement often leads to tensions in receiving areas, as resources become strained and social structures are disrupted.

Finally, climate change also influences geopolitical dynamics. The Arctic region, for instance, is seeing decreasing ice coverage, opening new shipping routes and sparking territorial claims. This new competition for access and control of these emerging areas could lead to geopolitical tensions among nations.

Climate change is indeed a significant and multifaceted issue that not only affects the environment but also has profound implications for global conflict and security. It is imperative for the global community to recognize these threats and work towards mitigating the impacts of climate change to ensure stability and security in the years to come.

Questions

Based on the passage above, answer the following questions. The type of questions used in this section closely mimics those you will encounter in the actual IELTS Reading test.

Multiple Choice

1. What is primarily causing increased competition among communities and nations according to the passage?
   a) The rise of sea levels
   b) Depletion of water supplies
   c) The opening of new shipping routes
   d) Social unrest

2. Which region is mentioned as being specifically affected by reduced agricultural productivity?
   a) North America
   b) The Arctic
   c) Sub-Saharan Africa
   d) Europe

True/False/Not Given

3. Climate change is only recognized as an environmental challenge.
   True / False / Not Given

4. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest level of food security according to the passage.
   True / False / Not Given

Matching Information

Match the information with the correct section of the passage:

5. Increased tensions due to large-scale displacement.
   a) Paragraph 1
   b) Paragraph 2
   c) Paragraph 3
   d) Paragraph 4

6. Geopolitical tensions in the Arctic region.
   a) Paragraph 1
   b) Paragraph 2
   c) Paragraph 3
   d) Paragraph 4

Answer Key

1. b) Depletion of water supplies
2. c) Sub-Saharan Africa
3. False
4. False
5. c) Paragraph 3
6. d) Paragraph 4

Explanation:

• 1. Increased competition is due to the depletion of water supplies as stated in the second paragraph.
• 2. Sub-Saharan Africa is specified as an area affected by reduced agricultural productivity as mentioned in the third paragraph.
• 3. The passage mentions climate change as more than an environmental challenge, indicating it’s a false statement.
• 4. The passage highlights reduced agricultural productivity and food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa, making the statement false.
• 5. The increased tensions due to displacement are discussed in the third paragraph.
• 6. Geopolitical tensions due to climate change in the Arctic region are addressed in the fourth paragraph.

Common Mistakes in Reading Tasks

• Misinterpreting the questions or passage context, resulting in incorrect answers.
• Overlooking specific details and keywords that are critical for understanding the passage.
• Spending too much time on a particular question and not managing the exam time efficiently.

Vocabulary

Here are some challenging words from the passage with their definitions and examples:

• Scarcity (noun) – /ˈskeə.sɪ.ti/ – The state of being scarce or in short supply.
  • Example: The scarcity of fresh water is a pressing issue in many regions.
• Exacerbate (verb) – /ɪɡˈzæs.ə.beɪt/ – To make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.
  • Example: Climate change is likely to exacerbate conflicts over natural resources.
• Precipitation (noun) – /prɪˌsɪp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/ – Any form of water, liquid or solid, falling from the sky.
  • Example: Changes in precipitation patterns can lead to droughts in some areas.

Grammar Point

Reviewing Passive Voice

In academic and formal writings, using the passive voice is a common practice to focus on the action rather than the subject.

Structure: Object + Verb (past participle) + by + Subject

Example from passage: “This shift is intensifying existing conflicts and creating new flashpoints.”

Example Sentence: “New shipping routes are being opened due to decreasing ice coverage.”

Tips for Successfully Tackling the IELTS Reading Test

• Skim through the passage to grasp the main idea before diving into the questions.
• Highlight and take quick notes of key points, names, dates, and any specific details.
• Answer the easier questions first to secure quick points and manage your time better.
• Practice reading from diverse sources to improve comprehension and the ability to quickly process various writing styles and topics.
• Regularly review vocabulary and grammar rules to ensure you can easily understand complex texts and construct clear, precise answers.