VOA标准英语2009年-UN Climate Organization Warns Link Between Poll

The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization says there is a close relationship between weather-climate systems and global pollution. The organization says these relationships also affect people's health.

The World Meteorological Organization says 90 percent of all natural disasters are related to weather, water and climate events. It says air quality is an important factor as well.

The World Health Organization estimates about two million people die prematurely¹ every year due to air pollution, more than half in developing countries. WHO says declining air quality worsens illnesses and deaths from asthma², heart disease, and lung cancer.

The relationship between climate, weather, air quality and health is the theme of this year's World Meteorological Day, which is observed Monday.
　
Michel Jarraud

WMO Secretary-General, Michel Jarraud, says the scientific community is becoming increasingly aware of the inter-connection.

"For the air quality, what we are talking about is not only the sort of traditional pollutants³ as you could imagine them," he noted⁴. "But, it is also many of the gases, which are the greenhouse gases that are also influencing the quality of the air when they are abundant in the lower atmosphere."

WMO scientists assess and monitor air pollutants such as ground-level ozone⁵, smog, particulate⁶ matter, sulfur⁷ dioxide and carbon monoxide. Most of these substances directly result from the industrial, urban and vehicular combustion⁸ of fossil fuels.

Jarraud says an analysis of this data enables scientists to better forecast the distribution of potentially harmful pollutants in the atmosphere. He says it is increasingly important to do this analysis in connection with urbanization because more than half of the world population lives in urban areas.

"The pollution issues are even more acute in the big urban areas," he said. "Something else, which we hope does not happen very often, but which happens from time to time are the accidents which can release huge amounts of chemicals or radioactive-during Chernobyl, the radioactive things. We also provide forecasts in order to predict where these things will go, which are the areas which are the most likely affected⁹."

WMO says a warming climate can exacerbate¹⁰ air pollution. For example, it says climate change and land use are expected to increase desertification worldwide, increasing the risk of sand and dust storms.

It says climate change models show particle-producing fires will continue to increase in both frequency and intensity¹¹ with rising global temperatures. Drought also is likely to increase, leading to more fires.

1 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

2 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

3 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 ozone   

n.臭氧，新鲜空气

参考例句：

• The ozone layer is a protective layer around the planet Earth.臭氧层是地球的保护层。
• The capacity of ozone can adjust according of requirement.臭氧的产量可根据需要或调节。

6 particulate   

adj.微小的；n.微粒，粒子

参考例句：

• A special group was organized to dig up the particulate of the case.成立了一个专门小组来查明该案件的各个细节。
• Lungs retain relatively insoluble particulate material.肺脏内留有不溶解的颗粒物质。

7 sulfur   

n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）

参考例句：

• Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
• Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。

8 combustion   

n.燃烧；氧化；骚动

参考例句：

• We might be tempted to think of combustion.我们也许会联想到氧化。
• The smoke formed by their combustion is negligible.由它燃烧所生成的烟是可忽略的。

9 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。

10 exacerbate   

v.恶化，增剧，激怒，使加剧

参考例句：

• WMO says a warming climate can exacerbate air pollution.世界气象组织说，气候变暖可能会加剧空气污染。
• In fact efforts will merely exacerbate the current problem.实际上努力只会加剧当前的问题。

11 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。