1Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the opening lecture of the international science festival.
2My name is Doctor Evelyn Marsh, and I research how cities can adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
3First of all, let me mention that the lecture tonight replaces the talk on quantum computing advertised earlier.
4Professor Anwar unfortunately cannot be with us tonight, as his flight was cancelled because of the storm.
5The lecture was originally scheduled for the main auditorium, but ticket demand moved us to this larger hall.
6Right, moving on to my subject, over half of humanity now lives in cities, and that figure keeps rising.
7By the middle of the century, that proportion is expected to reach almost seventy percent of the global population.
8Many people assume that flooding is the greatest threat, although heatwaves actually kill far more people each year.
9My team has found that planting trees along streets can lower afternoon temperatures by several degrees.
10Tickets for the workshops tomorrow used to cost ten pounds, but they are now free for registered students.
11One last thing, the festival bookshop will sign copies after the lecture in the foyer, not in the cafe.
12Thank you very much for your attention, and I look forward to hearing your questions at the end.