VOA新闻杂志2022--澳大利亚禁止新建煤矿以保护大堡礁

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Australia to Prevent Development of New Coal Mine

Australia's new government announced recently that it plans to prevent development of a coal mine due to the possible effects on the nearby Great Barrier Reef.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she plans to deny approval for the Central Queensland Coal Project.

The minority Greens party has been asking the center-left Labor¹ Party government, which was elected in May, to refuse approvals of coal and gas projects.

The goal is to help reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions².

Plibersek said in a statement, "Based on the information available to me at this stage, I believe that the project would be likely to have unacceptable impacts to the Great Barrier Reef Marine³ Park, and the values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and National Heritage Place."

The mine's supporters have until the middle of August to answer the proposed refusal before the minister makes her final decision.

The Greens welcomed the news and urged the minister to reject another 26 planned coal mines.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said in a statement, "Now we need an across-the-board moratorium⁴ on all new coal and gas projects."

A moratorium is a time when an activity is not permitted.

The proposed decision was announced after the House of Representatives passed a bill that would put into law a reduction in Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030.

The previous government's target had been a reduction of between 26 to 28 percent, set at the Paris climate conference in 2015.

Words in This Story

reef – n. a long line of rocks or coral or a high area of sand near the surface of the water in the ocean

stage – n. a particular point or period in the growth or development of something

impact – n. a powerful or major influence or effect

across-the-board – adj. affecting everyone or everything in a group

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 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。

3 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

4 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。