VOA常速英语2013--金融纠纷阻碍联合国气候会谈

 

Financial Disputes Hamper¹ UN Climate Talks 金融纠纷阻碍联合国气候会谈

WASHINGTON — Disputes over finances have hampered² progress at U.N. climate talks in Poland as delegates debate how to best provide aid to help developing countries fight global warming.

A small group of protesters outside the talks expressed displeasure over how financial issues have bogged³ down efforts to prevent climate change.

在大会门外的一小群抗议者表达着自己对于财务问题陷入预防气候变化困境的不满。

Developing countries are challenging wealthy nations to follow through on a pledge to allocate⁴ $100 billion a year to help them deal with climate change.

发展中国家正在挑战发达国家兑现每年分配1000亿美元来帮助他们应对气候变化的承诺。

The commitment is supposed to be in place by 2020, yet there is concern that industrialized nations are not living up to that promise, according to Simon Bradshaw, a climate change spokesman at Oxfam.

这一承诺原定于在2020年开始实施,但根据乐施会气候变化发言人西蒙·布拉德肖称，有人担心工业化国家会不履行这一承诺。

"The worry is that developed countries just have not delivered fast enough on the finance commitments that were made right back in 2009.

“令人担忧的是,发达国家没有尽早履行早在2009年就已作出的财政承诺。

We have seen very little new money on the table this year and we have not seen strong, credible⁵ plans from any country on how they are going to scale up their contributions," said Bradshaw.

我们已经看到今年少之又少的新资金,而且还没有见到任何国家如何扩大他们强有力,可靠的计划。”布拉德肖说道。

The talks on climate change are taking place as the Philippines continues to reel after being devastated⁶ by Typhoon Haiyan.

气候变化会谈展开正值菲律宾遭台风海燕肆虐后持续低迷。

The World Bank estimated that global economic losses causes by extreme weather-such as this storm-have risen to nearly $200 billion annually⁷ and could continue to rise as climate change worsens.

世界银行估计,由于如这场风暴的极端天气造成的全球经济损失已上升至每年近2000亿美元，而且可能随着气候变化的加剧继续上升。

However, the talks have come at a time when many industrialized nations are trying to spur growth in their stagnant⁸ economies.

然而,会谈之际,许多工业化国家正试图刺激自己停滞的经济体增长。

"We cannot have a system where there will be automatic compensation whenever severe weather events are happening in one place or other around the planet.

“我们不可能有一个每当灾害性天气事件发生在这个星球的一个地方或其他地方将会有自动补偿的系统。

You can understand why this is not feasible," said Connie Hedegaard, the European Commissioner⁹ for Climate Action.

你能够理解为什么这是不可行的,”欧盟气候行动专员康妮·赫泽拉德说道。

Mary Sering, the Philippine representative at the talks, criticized the lack of an agreement on greenhouse gas emissions¹⁰.

会谈的菲律宾代表玛丽·泽林质疑缺乏温室气体排放的协议。

"If we are to review our progress, would it be right for me to conclude that we failed miserably¹¹?

“如果要回顾我们的进展,得出我们失败这样的结论是正确的吗?

Looking at science and how it manifested itself,

看看科学以及它如何证明自身,

not only at Typhoon Haiyan but also other events, like Katrina in the United States, the heat wave in France, the wildfires in Australia, and other extreme events occurring after observed increased warming, should we not be all ashamed being here?" asked Sering.

不仅是台风海燕,还有像是美国卡特里娜飓风,法国热浪,澳大利亚森林大火及其他变暖增加后发生的其他极端事件,我们不该感到羞愧吗?”泽林质问道。

The conference continues through Friday.

会议将持续到周五。

The group hopes to lay the groundwork for a 2015 climate agreement.

这个组织希望奠定2015年气候协议的基础。

1 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

2 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

3 bogged   

adj.陷于泥沼的v.（使）陷入泥沼， （使）陷入困境( bog的过去式和过去分词 )；妨碍，阻碍

参考例句：

• The professor bogged down in the middle of his speech. 教授的演讲只说了一半便讲不下去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The tractor is bogged down in the mud. 拖拉机陷入了泥沼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 allocate   

vt.分配，分派；把…拨给；把…划归

参考例句：

• You must allocate the money carefully.你们必须谨慎地分配钱。
• They will allocate fund for housing.他们将拨出经费建房。

5 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

6 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

7 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

8 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

9 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

10 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。

11 miserably   

adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地

参考例句：

• The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
• It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨，天气又冷又湿，令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》