Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 26 to 35.
New research suggests that the most effective way to fight climate change and protect wildlife is by using the "human footprint" to identify priority areas for nature restoration. Rather than spreading resources too thin, the method prioritises restoration zones with the highest environmental return relative to cost. (I) According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), human activity has already altered more than half of the Earth's land. By leveraging this data-driven approach, governments and organizations can use their limited budgets more efficiently and achieve better long-term outcomes.
The potential impact of such targeted action is enormous. A study published in the journal Nature reveals that restoring just 15% of land converted by humans could prevent 60% of expected species extinctions. It could also capture 299 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide, equal to about 30% of the total increase since the Industrial Revolution. (II) Expanding restoration to 30% of degraded land would further protect over 70% of threatened mammals, birds, and amphibians while increasing carbon absorption. Many of these high-priority areas are found in tropical regions and developing countries across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
To identify these locations, scientists analysed 2.87 billion hectares of farmland, balancing three key objectives: preserving habitats, storing carbon, and maintaining agricultural productivity. Their findings show that different ecosystems offer distinct advantages. Restoring forests and wetlands provides the greatest combined gains for both climate protection and biodiversity, whereas restoring grasslands and arid regions is generally more cost-effective. (III) The researchers also stress that coordinating restoration across multiple ecosystem types, rather than focusing on just one, will produce the greatest overall impact.
Despite these promising findings, several challenges remain. Restoration efforts should not come at the expense of food production, especially as the global population continues to grow. In addition, international cooperation is essential to share costs and implement effective programmes. Financial incentives for landowners, such as "payment for ecosystem services", can encourage participation, but they depend on clear and consistent policies. (IV) Experts also emphasise that ecosystems must be treated as complex, real-world environments, meaning that successful restoration relies not only on scientific planning but also on local knowledge and practical conditions.
(Adapted from https://www.scidev.net/global/news)