美国国家公共电台 NPR Despite Few Details And Much Doubt, The Green New Deal Generates Enthusiasm

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Let's hear more about one thing Kelsey mentioned there. We heard a lot on the program yesterday about congressional Democrats¹' new plan to address climate change. The Green New Deal, as it's being called, would also transform the U.S. economy. This plan is getting a lot of attention, even though it's unlikely to pass both houses of Congress. NPR's Jeff Brady has more.

JEFF BRADY, BYLINE²: The Green New Deal aims to eliminate the U.S. carbon footprint by 2030.

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ED MARKEY: Our energy future will not be found in the dark of a mine but in the light of the sun.

BRADY: Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey announced the resolution on Capitol Hill with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: All great American programs, everything from the Great Society to the New Deal, started with a vision for our future.

BRADY: The vision in the Green New Deal is more framework than a specific plan. It doesn't even mention some of the usual ideas for addressing climate change, such as carbon taxes or cap and trade programs. It does call for more renewable energy, public transportation and lots of spending to make that happen. Environmental groups generally support the resolution. But a few, like Nicole Ghio with Friends of the Earth, wanted a specific call to end fossil fuels.

NICOLE GHIO: We have 12 years, according to science, if we are going to meet the challenge of the climate crisis. And to do that, we have to tackle fossil fuels head on. And the resolution just doesn't quite get us there.

BRADY: The oil industry says it's already reducing greenhouse gas emissions³ in the electricity sector⁴ as coal plants switch to natural gas. These days, transportation accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions. Green New Deal backers say they want more high-speed trains to make air travel less necessary and more electric cars and charging stations. Energy expert Amy Myers Jaffe with the Council on Foreign Relations says changing the existing fleet of cars in the U.S. would be an extraordinary effort.

AMY MYERS JAFFE: There's 350 million liquid fuel cars on the road today in the United States. And most Americans don't buy a new car except every decade.

BRADY: Backers say they also want to eventually phase out nuclear energy. That industry argues its electricity is carbon free and should be a part of any program addressing climate change. And the proposal takes aim at methane⁵ from cows. Methane is an especially potent⁶ greenhouse gas. And cows produce a lot of it. Colin Woodall with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association says responding to the resolution is difficult because details about his industry are thin.

COLIN WOODALL: They need to do a whole lot more homework and much more research and analysis before we can ever really even engage in this discussion.

BRADY: So far, the plan's biggest success may be energizing⁷ thousands of young activists⁸.

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ARU SHINEY-AJAY: Welcome to the launch of the 2019 Green New Deal campaign.

BRADY: A group called the Sunrise Movement held a web meeting with supporters around the country. Organizers planned three weeks of activism, including visits to pressure members of Congress to sign on to the Green New Deal. Eighteen-year-old Jeremy Ornstein says if that doesn't happen by February 26...

JEREMY ORNSTEIN: Sunrise clubs across the country are going to take over our representatives' offices, demanding that they support the resolution for a Green New Deal. It'll be epic⁹.

BRADY: Some have criticized activists for not understanding the scope of what they're demanding. Amy Myers Jaffe hopes older, more experienced policymakers won't do that.

MYERS JAFFE: We need not to discourage them. You know, they have an energy and a will to innovation that is not only infectious but inspiring.

BRADY: And, Jaffe says, that could be what's needed to address a problem as big as climate change. Jeff Brady, NPR News.

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1 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

6 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

7 energizing   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的现在分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• a refreshing and energizing fruit drink 提神并增加体能的果汁饮料
• The time required after energizing a device, before its rated output characteristics begin to apply. 从设备通电到它开始提供额定输出特性之间所需的时间。 来自辞典例句

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。