VOA慢速英语2019--德国可能在2038年前停用煤电

Germany Aims to End Coal Use by 2038 at the Latest

A German government-appointed group has proposed that Germany stop burning coal to make electricity by the year 2038 at the latest. The proposal is part of the nation’s efforts to slow a general warming in Earth’s atmosphere, often called climate change.

The German group, called the Coal Commission, reached a deal early Saturday following months of debate. Other coal-dependent countries were closely watching the negotiations¹.

Germany gets more than a third of its electricity from burning coal, which creates large amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases linked to climate change.

The 28-member commission represents mining areas, power companies, scientists and environmental activists³. The group suggested that its decision be reconsidered in 2032. That could bring forward the elimination⁴ of coal burning to as soon as 2035.

The plan calls for billions in federal spending to help affected⁵ areas deal with the economic effects, and to protect industry and the public from higher electricity prices. The move away from coal will also require major changes to Germany’s power system, the commission members said.

The decision still needs government approval.

Johan Rockstroem is the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research. He told the Associated Press that the whole world is watching how Germany deals with the decision. The German economy is based on industry and engineering, and is the fourth largest economy in the world.

The plan calls for Germany’s coal-burning power stations to slowly suspend operations to reduce the production of greenhouse gases. Currently, Germany’s coal plants produce the largest amount of carbon dioxide of any country in Europe.

The commission’s plan leaves open which plants should be closed first. The plan says it is a decision the government needs to negotiate with the plants’ operators, the German news agency dpa reported.

The commission suggests that in the next 10 years, the government should help create up to 5,000 new jobs in the affected areas whenever coal mining is discontinued. These regions are in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. They should also get federal support totaling $45.6 billion over the next 20 years.

Germany has agreed on an “energy transition” that involves exchanging fossil fuels with renewable resources, such as wind power and energy from the sun.

Last year, renewables provided more energy to Germany than coal for the first time ever. But removing coal from power production entirely⁶ is proving much more difficult.

The reduction in coal will require an increase in renewable resources. And — at least for now — the country will have to burn more natural gas, which produces about half the amount of greenhouse gases as coal.

The environmental activist² group Greenpeace wants all coal plants closed by 2030. It praised the commission’s decision, saying Germany finally has a plan for how it can become coal-free.” But the group also said the measures were not large and fast enough.

Other environmental groups welcomed the commission’s suggestion that the Hambach Forest in western Germany should be saved. The ancient woodland was at the center of anti-coal protests last year.

Energy company RWE’s plans to cut down half of the Hambach Forest to expand a mine led to demonstrations⁷. For months, protesters prevented workers from entering the area.

I’m Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

elimination – n. the act or process of removing something or someone

greenhouse gas(es) – n. a substance that adds to the general warming of the Earth’s atmosphere known as global warming

fossil fuel(s) – n. a fuel, such as coal, oil, or natural gas, that is formed in the earth from dead plants or animals

renewable – adj. able to be replaced by nature

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

3 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》

4 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。