VOA慢速英语2023--Asian, African Nations Join Amazon Meeting to Preserve Rainforests

Asian, African Nations Join Amazon Meeting to Preserve Rainforests

Representatives of nations with rainforests in Asia and Africa joined leaders from eight Amazon-area countries for a meeting in Brazil on Wednesday.

The nations will produce a statement called "United for our Forests" to be presented at COP¹ 28 in November. COP 28 is the United Nations climate change conference and it will be held in the Middle Eastern city of Dubai.

The eight South American countries, known as the Amazon Cooperation Treaty² Organization (ACTO), opened the meeting on Tuesday.

The ACTO includes Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. The nations agreed to work on developing their economies without harming the rainforest to a "point of no return."

Representatives also came from the Republic of Congo, the Democratic³ Republic of Congo, Indonesia and the French territory of Guiana. The president of Norway, a contributor to the Amazon fund⁴ for sustainable development, also joined.

Scientists say when 20 to 25 percent of the Amazon rainforest is destroyed, it will reduce rainfall and change the environment. The land will get drier and many kinds of plants and animals will die out.

Some environmental activists⁵, however, criticized⁶ Tuesday's event, saying the countries did not create a plan with clear goals and deadlines.

Brazil's president is Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva. In his third term as leader, he is working to save the Amazon. A study last month showed his efforts caused a 42 percent drop in deforestation in only seven months.

The Amazon stretches across an area twice the size of India. Two-thirds of it lies in Brazil, with seven other countries and French Guiana sharing the remaining third.

Until recently, critics say South American governments saw the rainforest as a resource for materials they could use to grow their economies. Trees were cleared for cattle, companies drilled for oil and mined the land for minerals and metals, and cities and roads were built through the forest. Indigenous⁷ people lost their land and plants and animals became endangered.

All the Amazon nations signed the 2015 Paris climate agreement to reduce pollution. But experts say the countries have had problems working together. They say the latest agreement should require all nations to end deforestation by 2030. So far, only Brazil and Colombia agreed on that deadline.

The nations are also divided on oil drilling in the Amazon. Colombian leader Gustavo Petro called for an end to oil exploration but other nations are not sure they want to follow.

The ACTO meeting, however, did receive support from one Indigenous leader, Fany Kuiru of Colombia. Kuiru praised the group for recognizing the rights of native people to traditional lands and opening a way for indigenous people to participate.

In a discussion⁸ on Tuesday, da Silva said the Amazon is a "passport to a new relationship with the world" where its resources can be "valued and put in the service of everyone."

Words in This Story

sustainable –adj. able to continue for a long time without harming the environment

deadline –n. a time that a project must be completed by

deforestation –n. the act of removing trees for a forest so the land can be used for something else, or the trees can be used for lumber⁹

indigenous –n. people who originally lived in a land

endangered –adj. at risk of dying out

1 cop   

n.警察；vt.抓住

参考例句：

• The cop told him to button his lip.警察叫他闭嘴。
• The robber was overpowered by the cop.抢劫犯被警察制伏。

2 treaty   

n.条约；协议，协定

参考例句：

• Hungary has indicated its readiness to sign the treaty.匈牙利已表示愿意签订该条约。
• I believe this treaty will pave the way to peace in Europe. 我相信这个条约将为欧洲的和平铺平道路。

3 democratic   

adj.民主的；民主主义的，有民主精神的

参考例句：

• Their country has democratic government.他们国家实行民主政体。
• He has a democratic work-style.他作风民主。

4 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

5 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》

6 criticized   

vt.批评(criticize的过去式)v.评论，批评( criticize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The decision was criticized by environmental groups. 这个决定受到了环保团体的批评。
• The movie has been criticized for apparently legitimizing violence. 这部电影因明显地美化暴力而受到了指责。

7 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

8 discussion   

n.讨论，谈论；论述

参考例句：

• It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
• After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。

9 lumber   

n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动

参考例句：

• The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
• They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。