VOA慢速英语2015 首尔气候变化会议展示环境投资与受益

Seoul Demonstrates Environmental Investments at Climate Change Conference 首尔气候变化会议展示环境投资与受益

The South Korean capital Seoul demonstrated some of its investments in technology at a climate change conference earlier this month. The conference was called to explore what city governments can do to reduce air pollution, increase energy efficiency and help the environment.

The mayor of Seoul told VOA that “green technology’ investments are paying off for his city. He also said he is working with nearby cities to prevent toxic¹ dust from blowing in across the border.

Conference delegates heard about a number of programs and projects, such as the Mapo Resource Recovery Facility in Seoul. The facility processes 750 tons of trash every day. It turns all these unwanted materials into electricity –  power equal to 41,000 barrels of oil a year. The center uses a system of filters to catch most of the carbon gases produced in the burning process.

Seoul's Mayor, Park Won-soon, says investments in technology are good for the environment, the economy and the 10 million people living in the city.

He says, "I think it brings more incentives² that have helped us recover our health and improve our quality of life. This also works as a philosophical⁴ base for our policy."

Ten years ago, the Cheonggye Stream project made repairs to the waterway that runs through Seoul. The improvements made the waterway more appealing to Seoul residents. They also helped to reduce the city’s heat during the summer.

Some people have criticized Seoul’s modern, glass-enclosed city hall building. Critics say it looks like a tsunami⁵ wave rising high over the ocean. The building’s walls are covered with plants to create oxygen. Solar equipment on top of city hall produces renewable energy.

The conference delegates also heard about the Seoul Resource Center. It provides jobs and reduces the amount of trash in city landfills. The center gets back much of its operating costs by selling salvaged⁶ parts from unwanted electronic waste.

Mayor Park says Seoul is working to export its expertise⁷ and technologies to other cities facing environmental problems.

He says, "We have been developing various know-hows and techniques through the process of resolving such problems. I think it is very important to share these with various countries around the world.”

Air pollution can still be a problem in the South Korean capital. A toxic mix of desert dust and factory smog often hits Seoul when the winds blow in from China.

Seoul’s mayor says he reached out to 13 cities in China and Mongolia to help them fight pollution and other environmental problems.

He says, "If these things progress, I think various ways will be prepared to tackle erosion and global warming by the international common effort."

Mayor Park Won-soon says Seoul can do its part to limit the effect of rising temperatures on Earth’s surface. But he says no city can do it alone in this interconnected world.

Words in This Story

toxic– adj. containing poisonous substances

incentive³ – n. something that encourages a person to do something or to work harder

salvaged – n. the act of saving something that is in danger of being completely destroyed

tackle – v. to deal with something difficult

1 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

2 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

4 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

5 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

6 salvaged   

（从火灾、海难等中）抢救（某物）( salvage的过去式和过去分词 )； 回收利用（某物）

参考例句：

• The investigators studied flight recorders salvaged from the wreckage. 调查者研究了从飞机残骸中找到的黑匣子。
• The team's first task was to decide what equipment could be salvaged. 该队的首要任务是决定可以抢救哪些设备。

7 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。