2007年VOA标准英语-Global Warming Becomes Major US Campaign Issue

By Meredith Buel
Washington
24 May 2007

For the first time climate change is expected to be a major issue in the U.S. presidential campaign. Analysts¹ say in past campaigns candidates argued about whether global warming is actually occurring, but the results of recent scientific studies have now shifted the debate to possible solutions that could reduce the future impact of a changing climate. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details in this background report from Washington.

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences says there is a growing body of evidence that the Earth's atmosphere is warming and in recent decades that temperature change has been caused by human activities.

Scientists at the Academy say the most striking proof of global warming is what they call a relatively² rapid and widespread increase in temperature during the past century.

They say other evidence of warming, such as increases in ocean temperatures, shrinking mountain glaciers³ and the decreasing polar ice cover are consistent with this trend.

David Sandalow, an energy and environment scholar at the Brookings Institution, says the evidence is clear.

"We have a good body of science on the impacts of global warming," said David Sandalow. "We have never seen greenhouse gas concentrations in this range in all of human history. They are accelerating at rates that are wildly unknown in human history. The potential threat is very serious."

The National Academy of Sciences says greenhouse gases have increased significantly since the Industrial Revolution, mostly from the burning of fossil fuels for energy, industry and transportation.

It was only in recent years, however, that most scientists and political leaders began to agree that the changes are due primarily to human behavior.

Rick Klein, a senior political reporter for ABC News, says it is now a major campaign issue for presidential candidates in the United States.

"We have seen this entire issue change over the last few years in a pretty extraordinary way," said Rick Klein. "There really is not a major debate in Washington anymore over whether climate change is happening. It has moved to [asking] what we are going to do about it."

Gregg Easterbrook is a senior editor of The New Republic Magazine and writes frequently about politics and the environment.

Easterbrook argues the next president should favor legislation putting a price on greenhouse emissions⁴ to give inventors the financial incentive⁵ to create cost-effective solutions to global warming.

"I think in the coming election everybody is going to say that they are in favor of action on climate change," said Easterbrook. "I don't see any candidate who won't say that. The question will be whether they favor a substantive⁶ reform or some kind of symbolic⁷ action."

At a recent forum⁸ at the Brookings Institution, policy advisers¹⁰ to some of the major presidential candidates agreed on the importance of global warming as a campaign issue, saying it plays a role in environmental considerations, economic development and national security.

Denis McDonough advises Illinois Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"So at the end of the day, if I could put one word on it, it is urgency," said McDonough. "This is a problem that is far past its prime. It now has to be confronted with the urgency it demands."

Todd Stern is a policy adviser⁹ for New York Senator Hillary Clinton, currently the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic Party's nomination¹¹.

Stern says Clinton favors a balanced approach to climate change.

"We have twin challenges here, which is oil security," he said. "We want to depend less on oil, less on foreign oil, but less on oil all together for national security and economic reasons, but also a climate challenge. We do not want to solve one, the oil security problem, while creating a bigger problem on the climate front."

On the Republican side, John Raidt, an advisor¹² to Arizona Senator John McCain, says his candidate is a long-time supporter of nuclear energy.

All of the political advisers at the Brookings forum say their candidates support policies to create alternate energy technologies, promote fuel efficiency and reduce dependence¹³ on foreign oil.

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

3 glaciers   

冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
• It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

4 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。

5 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。

6 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

7 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

8 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

9 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

10 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

11 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

12 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

13 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。