VOA慢速英语2021--爱尔兰希望用海藻来减少奶牛排放甲烷

Scientists in Ireland are collecting native seaweed to feed to cows and sheep to reduce the methane¹ gas that the farm animals release².

Research has shown that seaweed fed to animals can cut the amount of the climate-warming gas they produce.

Ireland has Europe's highest per capita output³ of methane gas.

At the recent United Nations Climate Change conference in Scotland⁴, Ireland joined a worldwide goal to cut output of methane gas by 30 percent by 2030.

Irish officials have said such reductions⁶ will mostly be reached through a 50 percent cut in non-agriculture methane. The country expects to reduce farm-related⁷ methane by 10 percent by 2030.

The program aims to use seaweed additives⁹ in food to avoid having to reduce animal numbers to reach goals related to efforts against climate change.

About 20 different kinds of seaweed, most from Ireland's Atlantic coast, have been tested by researchers. Many other kinds have been collected by the project's partners in Norway, Canada, Sweden, Germany and Britain.

American and Australian scientists have already demonstrated¹⁰ the methane-reducing qualities of one seaweed, called Asparagopsis. Small amounts were added to animal feed in tests. But this kind of seaweed is not easy to grow in Northwestern Europe.

The Irish project aims to find native seaweeds within the country instead. But some researchers admit the local versions¹¹ are not likely to reach the reduction⁵ in methane levels of over 80 percent shown with Asparagopsis.

"We have identified some brown seaweeds that are very positive and they're producing results," Maria Hayes told Reuters news agency¹². She is the project leader for the SeaSolutions project. The project team has reported methane reductions of between 11 and 20 percent in early tests.

Irish researchers are working on ways to bring the seaweed additives into the nation's farming system for cattle. Most cattle are mainly fed grass.

On one farm southwest of Belfast, treats are used to persuade cows to put their heads into a solar-powered machine that measures the level of methane on their breath. This same method will be used to test animals that have been fed seaweed additives.

Dutch chemical company Royal DSM produces a food additive⁸ that it says can cut methane release by about 30 percent. The company said it had received government approval¹³ in Brazil and Chile and is currently¹⁴ seeking approval in the European Union.

Not everyone is sure that such additives can help meet the latest climate change targets.

Sadhbh O'Neill is a climate policy and environmental politics expert at Dublin City University. She has been critical of industry attempts to depend on technology rather than to seek workable long-term goals for Ireland's agriculture industry.

"Scaling up these solutions takes time. We don't have time," O'Neill said.

Jenny O'Halloran harvests seaweed by hand on Inis Mór island, off Ireland's west coast. She told Reuters she thinks interest in the industry will keep growing.

"Maybe the future...is actually farming seaweed, which I think has to be part of the conversation when it comes to the future of seaweed in Ireland."

Words in This Story

seaweed – n. a kind of plant that grows in the sea

per capita – adj., adv. by or for each person

positive – n. a good quality or result

scale – n. the size or level of something

conversation – n. a talk between two or more people

1 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

2 release   

vt.发布，发表，发行；释放，放开

参考例句：

• After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
• This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。

3 output   

n.产量，输出，输出功率，输出端；vt.输出(信息等)

参考例句：

• Grain output reached a new high in the three years.谷物产量达到三年中最高水平。
• The chart showed us the global output of a factory.这张图表展示了一个工厂的总产量。

4 Scotland   

n.苏格兰

参考例句：

• He has been hiking round Scotland for a month.他围着苏格兰徒步旅行了一个月。
• Scotland is to the north of England.苏格兰在英格兰之北。

5 reduction   

n.减少，减低，减缩；减少，减低

参考例句：

• Reduction in income tax will be welcomed with open arms.减少所得税将受到热烈欢迎。
• You will have a reduction for cash.付现金可以打折扣。

6 reductions   

减少( reduction的名词复数 )； 降低； [数学]约简； [摄影术]减薄

参考例句：

• Many companies have announced dramatic reductions in staff. 许多公司已经宣布大幅裁员。
• The forthcoming talks hold out the hope of real arms reductions. 即将举行的会谈给实现真正的裁军带来了希望。

7 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

8 additive   

adj.附加的；n.添加剂

参考例句：

• Colour is often an additive in foods.颜料经常是各种食物中的添加物。
• Strict safety tests are carried out on food additives.对食品添加剂进行了严格的安全检测。

9 additives   

n.添加剂( additive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• chemical additives in petrol 汽油中的化学添加剂
• It'says on the packet that these crisps contain no additives. 包装上说这些炸薯片不含添加剂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 demonstrated   

举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证

参考例句：

• All of those demonstrated the correctness of his analysis. 这一切都证明了他分析的正确性。
• The fireman demonstrated great courage in saving the child. 那位消防队员在抢救孩子的过程中，表现了极大的勇气。

11 versions   

n.译本( version的名词复数 )；版本；（个人对事件的）描述；（原物的）变体

参考例句：

• There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本，一长一短。
• When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后，找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

13 approval   

n.赞成，同意；批准，认可

参考例句：

• The audience has expressed its approval.观众已经认可。
• The teacher signed his approval.老师做了手势表示同意。

14 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。