布莱尔首相演讲:The Environment and Business

Transcript¹ of the Prime Minister's Broadcast on the Environment and Business
Friday 27 October 2000

One of the usual criticisms of Governments and politicians is that they are all words and no action.

So it was a bit of a novelty this week to be under fire not for lack of action on the environment but for not talking about it more.

Im pleased my speech this week has helped push green issues up the political agenda and of course, that was the intention.

But, we have a record on the environment that we can be proud of and that sits starkly² at odds³ with claims that this Government doesnt care about it.

On the issues big and small, national and global, weve made real progress.

Were leading, for example through John Prescott in the international drive to convince countries to take the threat of climate change seriously.

And to show we mean what we say, Britain is ahead of our international obligations for cutting greenhouse gases.

Nationally, too, for instance, weve set tough targets to improve air quality, limit building on greenfield sites and have expanded the green belt.

Locally, we want to give much needed extra protection for wildlife and wildlife sites and have designated two new national parks.

So there is a substantial amount of progress that has been made. But of course, we havent satisfied everyone and they are absolutely right that there is plenty more to do.

What I was trying to say in my speech this week was that the time is right now for a new coalition⁴ to help us achieve more and achieve it more quickly.

We need a partnership⁵ that encompasses⁶ government, business, the green movement and the public. Not always agreeing, but with common aims and a better understanding of what each group has to contribute to improving our environment.

Because we've known for years about the enormous threat of climate change, or the creeping loss of our countryside, or the costs of congestion⁸.

But action to overcome these challenges was not helped in the past by a lack of trust and understanding between people.

On the one hand, for example, some people believed that business and industry, who produced some of the most obvious pollution, were simply the enemy.

On the other, some businesses believed they should seek to maximise profits come what may.

So, it was presented as a series of choices. A cleaner environment, or higher growth. Saving the planet, or saving jobs. Affordable⁹ housing or protection for our landscape.

Now of course there are points of conflict, but fundamentally these are false choices. Just as it was, for instance, a false choice to have to decide between a more prosperous country or a more just one, between cracking down on criminals, or tackling the underlying¹⁰ causes of crime, between taking a leading role in Europe or standing⁷ up for Britain.

In Government, we have shown these are false choices. Weve shown that the OR can be replaced by the AND.

So in relation to the environment, this choice is also false. Now, for example, the New Deal is about building social justice AND a healthy economy. Two hundred thousand extra young people in work delivers both.

Were dealing¹¹ firmly with crime AND tackling the underlying causes of crime such as drug addiction¹².

On Europe, were taking a leading role AND winning for Britain such as the great deal we won on regional funding.

So what I was saying in respect to the environment this week is that that also offers a good way forward, the best way forward.

New, cleaner technologies can reduce pollution AND provide new jobs and export opportunities for British companies.

Cutting out waste helps the environment AND it makes companies more efficient and, therefore, better able to compete internationally.

More building on brownfield sites safeguards the countryside AND of course, it also helps revive our cities.

So, there will still be hard choices and we wont¹³ duck those.

But there are also situations which can be a WIN WIN for the environment and the public interest.

We must look for the many chances, therefore, to protect and enhance our environment while also gaining social and economic benefit.

Just as the environmental movement has much to offer in keeping our eye on the challenges we face, so businesses too can offer some of the innovations and technologies and solutions we need. And that's why a partnership is so important.

So, I'm not saying there still won't be cause for the Government to do much more, and to say that we should go far further. I'm not saying either that there won't be difficult and hard choices in respect of some of these key issues of the environment.

But, I'm also saying that if we can get the right partnership between the green movement, the Government, Business and the public, then we can make much more progress, make it more quickly, and benefit both our economy and the quality of life that we want to pass on to the next generation.

Thats why now is the time to forge the partnership which can deliver a richer and greener future.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 starkly   

adj. 变硬了的,完全的 adv. 完全,实在,简直

参考例句：

• The city of Befast remains starkly divided between Catholics and Protestants. 贝尔法斯特市完全被处在天主教徒和新教徒的纷争之中。
• The black rocks stood out starkly against the sky. 那些黑色的岩石在天空衬托下十分显眼。

3 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 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。

6 encompasses   

v.围绕( encompass的第三人称单数 )；包围；包含；包括

参考例句：

• The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
• Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

9 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。

10 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

13 wont   

adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯

参考例句：

• He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
• It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。