VOA慢速英语2009年-IN THE NEWS - A Compromise on Climate

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Almost two hundred countries met for two weeks at a United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark. In the end, only five of them reached an agreement: the United States, China, India, Brazil and South Africa.

President Obama praised the agreement last Friday. This week, he said many people are disappointed in the agreement. But he said the compromise was better than nothing.

The voluntary agreement urges major polluters to make deeper cuts in the release of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gas emissions¹, such as carbon dioxide, are created in part by burning oil and coal for transportation and electricity.

Protesters gather on the last day of the meeting on climate change in Copenhagen. Many activists² were dissatisfied with the agreement.

The agreement sets targets to prevent the Earth's average temperature from rising more than two degrees Celsius³ above pre-industrial levels. And the plan calls for one hundred billion dollars a year in aid to poor nations to deal with climate change. This would start in two thousand twenty.

But the agreement, known as the Copenhagen Accord⁴, is not legally binding⁵. It fails to set detailed⁶ targets for cuts in carbon emissions. And it failed to earn the support of all the nations at the talks.

India's environment minister praised the united position taken by India, China, Brazil and South Africa. He said it permitted them to avoid the legally binding targets and international supervision⁷ proposed by developed countries.

India, for example, has promised to cut emissions by at least twenty percent from two thousand five levels by two thousand twenty. But big developing countries do not want to limit their economic growth. They say rich nations created the problem, so they should take most of the responsibility for reducing greenhouse gases.

China rejected accusations⁸ by critics that it was responsible for the results at Copenhagen. A Foreign Ministry⁹ spokeswoman said developed countries did not perform well at the talks. She said China has taken its own measures to fight climate change and supports pressing ahead with international cooperation.

China and other large developing countries have accused rich nations of failing to offer big enough cuts in their own emissions. They also say wealthy nations did not offer enough money and technology to help poor countries deal with climate change.

In Europe, politicians and environmentalists expressed deep disappointment that world leaders failed to reach a stronger agreement.

But United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says the Copenhagen Accord is only a beginning. He says he will work with world leaders to reach a legally binding treaty in the coming months.

By next month all countries are supposed to have plans for cutting emissions. And climate talks will continue in the coming year with meetings in Germany and Mexico.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

 

1 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。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

4 accord   

vt.给予（欢迎、称颂等） vi./n.符合，一致

参考例句：

• Most people are in accord with their desire for peace.在渴望和平这一点上，大多数人都是一致的。
• The hearts of our people accord with those of yours.我们两国人民心心相印。

5 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

6 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

7 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

8 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。