VOA常速英语2014--Kerry Warns About Global Climate Change 克里警告应对全球气候变化

 

Kerry Warns About Global Climate Change 克里警告应对全球气候变化

AKARTA — The United States and China say they recognize the need for "urgent action" to address the twin challenges of climate change and the air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels.  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called for greater political will to address a warming planet.

China is the leading producer of greenhouse gases and joins the United States as the largest consumers of energy.

中国是产生温室气体的主要大国，而美国作为最大的能源消费国也加入到这个行列中。

So U.S. officials say the world's two biggest economies agreeing to limit emissions¹ and promote energy efficiency in buildings and industry "sends a strong message to the world" that this is an issue that needs to be addressed now.

因此美国官员称世界最大的两个经济体同意限制排放,促进建筑及工业行业的能效这样“向世界发出强有力的信息”是迫切需要提出的问题。

克里警告应对全球气候变化.jpgFollowing that agreement with Chinese leaders, Secretary Kerry told an audience in Indonesia that Washington hopes this "unique partnership²" with Beijing will help set an example for global leadership and global seriousness on climate change.

紧随与中国领导人的协议,部长克里对印尼的听众讲道,华盛顿希望与北京“独特的伙伴关系”将为面对气候变化全球领导力及全球严重性方面树立榜样。

"Together we account for roughly 40 percent of the world's emissions.

“我们一起大约占全球排放量的40%。

But this is not just about China and the United States," Kerry said.

但这不仅仅是中国和美国的事情,” 克里说道。

"It is about every country on Earth doing whatever it can to pursue cleaner and healthier energy sources.

“这事关地球上的每个国家都尽其所能追求更清洁及更健康的能源。

Kerry said scientific evidence compels the world to act.

克里表示科学证据迫使世界需要采取行动。

"It is not a lack of ability that is the problem," Kerry said.

“这不是缺乏能力的问题,” 克里说道。

"It is a lack of political resolve that is standing³ in our way.

“而是缺乏阻碍我们前行的政治决心。

The European Union is calling for a 40 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2030.

欧盟呼吁到2030年削减40%的碳排放。

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says that target is ambitious and affordable⁴.

欧盟委员会主席约瑟·曼努埃尔·巴罗佐表示面对目标具有雄心壮志而且负担得起。

"It shows that we are beyond debate where we either have to be green or a defender⁵ of industry," Barroso said.

“这表明我们无可争辩,我们需要绿色环境还是工业的防卫者,”巴罗佐说道。

"We believe these two issues are not contradictory⁶, but can perfectly⁷ go together if handled smartly.

“我们认为这两个问题并不矛盾,而且如果巧妙处理可以相处融洽。

Some European parliamentarians and some environmentalists believe the carbon reduction goals do not do enough to encourage cleaner energy.

欧洲一些议员和环保人士认为,碳减排目标不足以鼓励清洁能源。

Jason Anderson heads European climate and energy policy for the World Wildlife Fund.

杰森·安德森是世界野生动物基金会欧洲气候及能源政策的负责人。

"We want to make sure that they do not put the brakes on the energy transition that we are seeing now," Anderson said.

“我们想要确保他们像现在看到的那样不要停下能源转变的脚步,”安德森说道。

"Their ambitions for renewable energy would actually slow down the pace of change, which it is completely senseless as it is one of those areas of the economy that is growing right now.

“他们对于可再生能源的雄心壮志会减缓变革的步伐,它完全是毫无意义的,因为它是一个地区的经济增长。

Kerry's climate speech was the first in a series of events meant to focus on cutting carbon emissions before talks in Paris next year on coming up with a successor to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol⁸, which was never ratified⁹ by the United States.

 

克里的气候演讲是在明年巴黎会谈之前意味着专注于削减碳排放系列中的第一个事件，而巴黎会谈是继没有得到美国承认的1997年《京都议定书》的继承者。

1 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。

2 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

6 contradictory   

adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立

参考例句：

• The argument is internally contradictory.论据本身自相矛盾。
• What he said was self-contradictory.他讲话前后不符。

7 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

8 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

9 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。