The U.N. Secretary-General says he is "optimistic" a climate-change agreement can be reached in Copenhagen that will include specific recommendations on key elements that will take effect immediately. Ban Ki-moon told reporters this conference must be the turning point in global efforts to prevent runaway global warming and usher in a new era of environmentally sustainable growth.
联合国秘书长潘基文说，他对哥本哈根峰会能达成一项气候变化协议表示“乐观”，这项协议将包括针对一些关键问题的会立即生效的具体建议。潘基文告诉记者说，这次会议必须是全世界为阻止全球变暖问题失控所进行的努力，以及进入环境可持续发展新时代的一个转折点。
While the United Nations has backed away from its hope of having a legally-binding treaty come out of Copenhagen, it still believes a serious agreement can be reached that will lead the way to a legally-binding one next year.
虽然联合国放弃了要在哥本哈根会议上达成一项有法律约束力的协议的希望，但联合国认为仍然可以达成一项重要协议，为明年达成有法律约束力的协议开辟道路。
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon told reporters he would go to the Danish capital next week to open the high-level segment that he expects will draw more than 100 heads of state and government.
联合国秘书长潘基文告诉记者说，他下个星期将前往丹麦首都为这次高级别会议主持开幕式，他预计会有100多个国家和政府的领导人出席会议。
"I am encouraged and I am optimistic. I expect a robust agreement at Copenhagen summit meeting that will be effective immediately and include specific recommendations on mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology. This agreement will have an immediate operational effect," he said.
潘基文说：“我感到鼓舞和乐观。我希望在哥本哈根峰会上达成的强有力的协议能立即生效，协议中包括对缓解、适应、资助和技术等方面的具体建议。该协议可以立即产生实际效果”。
His remarks come as scientists released new data showing the first decade of this century will likely turn out to be the warmest ever. The findings from the World Meteorological Association also predict 2009 will be the 5th warmest year since global record-keeping began in 1850.
他在发表上述评论的同时，科学家公布的新数据显示本世纪的第一个十年将成为历史上最温暖的一年。这个发现来自世界气象协会，该协会还预测2009年将成为全球自1850年保持温度记录以来气温第五高的一年。
Scientists warn that without an agreement to reduce so-called green house gas emissions, global temperatures will continue to rise, with the catastrophic consequences of extreme weather events, the spread of drought and disease, and the extinction of plant and animal species.
科学家警告说，如果没有达成减少所谓的温室气体排放的协议的话，那么全球气温将继续上升，会产生和极端气候相关的灾难后果，如干旱和疾病的蔓延，以及植物和动物物种的灭绝等。
But climate change skeptics have seized on the recent theft of thousands of private e-mail messages from computer servers at a British climate research center to cast doubt on whether global warming is as serious as it has been made out to be. Mr. Ban dismissed the scandal, saying he did not think it would affect the negotiations in Copenhagen.
但是最近从英国一个气候研究中心偷取的数千件私人电子邮件让气候变化怀疑论者抓住机会，对全球变暖是否如同科学家说所的问题这么严重提出质疑。 潘基文对这一丑闻不予理会，他说他不认为这会对哥本哈根的谈判造成影响。
"Nothing that has come out in the public as a result of the recent e-mail hackings has cast doubt on the basic scientific message on climate change, and that message is quite clear - that climate change is happening much, much faster than we realize and we human beings are the primary cause," he said.
潘基文说：“最近电子邮件被盗一事并没有影响公众舆论，或者给气候变化的最基本科学信息带来质疑。那一科学信息是很明确的，就是气候变化的速度比我们所认识的要快得多，而我们人类是导致气候变化的主要原因。”
Mr. Ban said he is encouraged that negotiations are proceeding well in Copenhagen, and he hopes the summit can achieve, among other things, ambitious mitigation targets for developed countries and their commitments of financial support to assist developing countries adapt to the impact of global warming.
潘基文说，他对在哥本哈根谈判的进展感到鼓舞。并且他希望发达国家能在峰会中达成一项大量减排的目标计划，以及达成他们帮助发展中国家适应全球变暖产生影响的承诺。 |