United Nations talks on climate change are nearing a close with no clear consensus yet in sight. The meeting is aimed at laying the groundwork for progress at a major climate change meeting in Mexico later this year.
联合国在天津举行的气候变化会议即将结束，但似乎还没有达成共识的迹象。这次会议主要是为今年稍后的墨西哥坎昆气候变化会议奠定基础。
While many of the negotiators for a global climate change accord consider it a pressing issue, there is less agreement on how to share the burden of tackling the problem.
虽然许多希望制定全球气候变化协议的与会代表认为这是一个迫在眉睫的议题，但是在如何分担义务的问题上却没有什么共识。
Last year, the international community failed to reach an agreement that included legally binding emissions reductions at a high-profile meeting in Copenhagen.
去年在哥本哈根高调举行的气候变化会议上，国际社会无法就具有法律约束力的减少温室气体排放，达成协议。
Precursor to Cancun meeting
This week's meeting in the Chinese port city of Tianjin is the precursor to the world's next big attempt, at Cancun, Mexico, later this year.
下次全球气候会议将在今年稍后在墨西哥坎昆举行。这个星期在中国海港城市天津举行的会议就是为坎昆会议努力铺路。
Jake Schmidt is with the U.S. environmental group, National Resources Defense Council. He says some countries in recent days appear to be stalling, by raising questions about procedural, rather than substantive issues, which could hamper efforts to produce a deal in Cancun.
美国代表团成员- 国家资源保护协会的杰克、施密特表示，有些国家最近提出有关程序的问题而不是实质性的问题使得会议进展陷于停顿，这可能会阻碍在坎昆会议上达成协议的努力。
"Instead of trying to produce a text which incorporated every single element that we could possibly envision, the chair proposed a set of, effectively, bullet points, that said here are the things that I think we can legitimately agree to in Cancun," Schmidt said. "And obviously there are going to be some things off that list. And the Chinese, Saudi Arabia and others, questioned whether or not the chair had the ability to do that."
施密特说：“他们没有努力制定一个包括所有可以预见到的细节的综合方案，相反，会议主席提出了坎昆会议上肯定都会得到同意的一系列粗略的要点问题。而且显然地有些问题已经离题。中国，沙特阿拉伯以及其他国家都对会议主席的作法提出质疑。”
Foundation for agreement
Schmidt says as of Thursday, he is pessimistic that this week's meeting will, in his words, "lay the foundation" for an agreement in Cancun
施密特星期四表示，他对这个星期的会议是否能够为坎昆达成协议铺路，感到悲观。
He says many countries appear to be ready to agree to things like reforestation efforts and technology adaptation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But they are not ready to agree on what he described as "the tougher things."
他表示，许多国家似乎已经同意在植树造林和采用减少温室气体排放的技术方面，达成一致。但是在他们所谓更困难的问题上，还没有准备好。
"Like whether or not they're going to formalize their international commitments, their commitments to reduce emissions, and whether or not they're going to agree to a set of transparency provisions," Schmidt added.
施密特说：“像是是否规范他们的国际承诺，他们对减少排放的承诺，以及他们是否同意一系列透明的条款，他们都还没有达成一致。”
Causes
Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide released by burning fuels such as oil and coal, are thought to contribute to global warming.
燃油和煤炭所产生的二氧化碳，被认为是造成地球暖化的温室气体排放。
One of the big sticking points is whether there should be binding targets to reduce emissions. Although China has overtaken the United States to become the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, Beijing refuses to commit to targets because it says it is still a developing nation.
期中一个争执焦点是，是否应该强制达成减少排放的目标。虽然中国已经超越美国成为全世界最大的温室气体排放国，但是北京声称自己还是发展中国家，所以拒绝承诺减少排放的目标。
Solutions
Earlier in the week, Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo told the conference one of his country's top priorities is to develop the economy.
Dai says China's ability to control greenhouse gas emissions faces great pressure. He says the speed of industrialization and urbanization in the country is still quickening, which means its energy demand will also increase.
Delegates from nearly 200 countries began their meeting in Tianjin on Monday. The talks end Saturday. |