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12 “芝加哥气候交换计划”将进行全球 “废气贸易”
Chicago Climate Exchange Hopes to 'Trade' Emissions Globally
Rosanne Skirble
Washington
11 Jun 2001 03:13 UTC
Carbon 1)emissions trading has been debated for over a decade. The idea is to establish a system where countries can buy and sell credits for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Within this system a country could continue emissions above targeted levels by 2)purchasing emission rights or credits from countries that are below their targets. A group called the Chicago Climate Exchange wants to apply the concept to the corporate world.
"The purpose of the Exchange is to prove the concept that we can reduce greenhouse gases cost effectively through a tradable emissions program," says Richard Sandor, chief executive officer of the Chicago-based Environmental Financial Products Corporation.
Mr. Sandor is the author of a study on the feasibility of the Chicago Climate Exchange. The study, produced in 3)collaboration with Northwestern University, recommends a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including 4)carbon dioxide, by five percent below 1999 levels over the next five years.
Companies would gain 5)credits by reducing emissions by more than the 6)targeted level, by buying credits from companies who have achieved 7)surplus reductions, by investing in 8)renewable energy program, or by supporting soil or forest conservation practices that reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Richard Sandor says the Climate Exchange has 9)generated widespread interest in starting a voluntary pilot program in the midwestern United States that might eventually expand globally.
"It was our hope that we would get five, or maximum ten, companies and we got 25," he said. "They range from the biggest agricultural cooperatives in the Midwest, that could help to 10)sequester carbon in the soils, to the largest forest products company, International Paper. (We also have commitments from) major chemical companies like DuPont, eight of the major power companies in the Midwest, and (also) Ford Motor Company, one of the largest industrial concerns in the world."
Richard Sandor says members are considering plans to measure greenhouse gases on utility 11)smokestacks and to compute carbon emission credits from conservation projects. He says while reducing emissions would be voluntary, the Climate Exchange would create 12)incentives to do so.
"Corporations are recognizing that consumers and 13)shareholders want them to reduce greenhouse gases," he says. "Second, there are regulatory regimes like in the United Kingdom where many of the 14)multinational (corporations) in the Midwest already operate, and it suggests that they are going to have to learn to do greenhouse gas trading to comply even in areas where it is not voluntary, but is 15)mandatory."
Chad McIntosh with Ford Motor Company's Environmental Quality Office says Ford is putting together its own in-house emissions trading program, but that participation in the Climate Exchange will help the company do that job better.
"In addition to the benefits we receive as a company for reducing our energy usage, we can actually get money for the credits," he said. "The Climate Exchange is a very 16)timely project we are 17)committed to help developing so that we do have a market that will provide additional incentive for all of us to reduce emissions."
A pilot phase of the Chicago Climate Exchange will begin within a year. Richard Sandor, who is 18)spearheading the effort, says the lessons learned from the program may be relevant for economies worldwide for the next century.
(1) emission[I5mIF(E)n]n.(光、热等的)散发, 发射
(2) purchase[5p:tFEs]vt.买, 购买n.买, 购买
(3) collaboration[kElAbE5reIF(E)n]n.协作
(4) carbon dioxide n.[化]二氧化碳
(5) credit[5kredIt]n.信任, 信用, 荣誉vt.信任, 把...归给
(6) target[5tB:^It]n.目标, 对象, 靶子
(7) surplus[5s:plEs]n.剩余, 过剩adj.过剩的, 剩余的
(8) renewable[rI`njU:Ebl]adj.可更新的, 可恢复的
(9) generate[`dVenEreIt]vt.产生, 发生
(10) sequester[sI5kwestE(r)]adv.幽静的, 隐蔽的vt.使隐退, 使隔绝
(11) smokestack[5smEJkstAk]n.烟窗
(12) incentive[In5sentIv]n.动机adj.激励的
(13) shareholder[5FeEhEJldE(r)]n.股东
(14) multinational[mQltI5nAFEn(E)l]adj.多国的, 跨国公司的n.跨国公司
(15) mandatory[5mAndEtErI]adj.命令的, 强制的, 托管的
(16) timely[5taImlI]adj.及时的, 适时的
(17) committed adj.效忠的；忠于…的
(18) spearhead[5spIEhed]n.先头部队v.充当先锋
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