2006年VOA标准英语- Group Promotes Energy Integration and Coo

By Michael Bowman
Washington
19 January 2006

A Washington-based public policy group is advocating an ambitious proposal for energy integration¹ and cooperation in the Americas, with the ultimate goal of making the hemisphere energy self-sufficient.  Proponents² say the plan would spark economic development and solidify³ democracy in the Americas, but admit that potential pitfalls⁴ exist, including political rifts⁵ between the United States and some of its biggest energy partners, such as Venezuela.

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Council of the Americas Vice⁶ President Eric Farnsworth says when it comes to meeting energy needs, the United States should look to its neighbors and partners in the Americas first.  He says the hemisphere possesses enormous untapped energy sources and reserves, the proper use of which would be a boon⁷ to the entire region.

"You cannot really talk about development in the hemisphere and not talk about energy.  It is difficult to see, for example, how a country like Bolivia, if you take energy out of the development equation, is going to develop.  The same is true for any number of countries in the region," he said.  "We believe there is a mutuality⁸ of interests in the hemisphere."

To some, the idea of the entire Americas region becoming energy independent may sound far-fetched, given that the United States consumes roughly 25 percent of global energy output and the world's largest reserves of oil and natural gas are found outside the Americas.

But Farnsworth points out that it is Canada, not Saudi Arabia, that stands as the biggest foreign energy supplier to the United States, and that significant energy reserves are to be found in Venezuela, Bolivia, and elsewhere in the hemisphere. 

The non-profit, non-partisan Council of the Americas is calling for massive private and public investments to maximize energy output from Canada to Argentina, while focusing on developing and embracing alternatives to fossil fuels. 

Farnsworth says he has no illusions about the challenges to implementing⁹ such a program.

"Sufficient energy sources do exist in the hemisphere," he added.  "What is missing, however, is the massive investment required to develop those resources.  It is therefore incumbent¹⁰ on nations to create an investment climate whereby foreign energy companies can work in partnership¹¹ with local governments to develop the resources in a mutually beneficial manner."

Put simply, having large reserves of oil, gas or coal is not enough.  Extracting it requires infrastructure¹², and the funds to build that infrastructure will only be forthcoming if investors¹³ have confidence in a particular country. 

Farnsworth says nations wishing to attract that capital need to promote the rule of law, fight corruption¹⁴, keep a check on onerous¹⁵ taxes and regulations, and develop an educated workforce¹⁶.

Proponents of hemispheric energy cooperation admit that achieving political consensus¹⁷ on a way forward may not be easy. 

The United States is Venezuela's largest purchaser or crude oil, yet President Hugo Chavez has accused the Bush administration of plotting to invade his country and threatened to cut off oil sales. 

He has promoted South American economic and political integration as a bulwark¹⁸ against what he describes as the "imperialist" aims of the United States. During the past year, the Chavez government has also seized assets from domestic and foreign holdings.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega says the business and investment climate in Venezuela could be better.

"Compared to other places where energy companies have to do business, Venezuela is not the worst place in the world, by any means," he explained.  "But at the same time, there are these incremental¹⁹ measures by the Venezuelan government that are making it tougher and tougher to do business."
  

Evo Morales (l) and Hugo Chavez  
  
Bolivia has also grabbed headlines.  The country's incoming president, Evo Morales, has railed against what he sees as the exploitation of his impoverished²⁰ nation by powerful countries and multinational²¹ corporations.

Yet some international energy players seem unconcerned when asked about the emergence²² of populist, left-leaning leaders in parts of Latin America. 

Steve Walsh, vice president of government affairs for the U.S.-based energy giant, AES Corporation, says Evo Morales reminds him of another socialist²³ firebrand, one who moderated his tone and adopted a largely pro-business stance upon coming to power: President Inacio "Lula" da Silva of Brazil.

"President Lula has come out, for the most part, as a moderate and has taken the steps required to promote business development throughout the country," said Mr. Walsh.  "I do not see that President Morales would take a course so radical²⁴ that it would force investors in the energy sector²⁵ to pull up stakes and flee."

The Council of the Americas' Eric Farnsworth says, if the United States is slow to seek out new energy opportunities in the Americas, China will gladly pick up the slack.  In recent years, China has invested in a variety of energy projects in Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Argentina, and has expressed a strong desire to strengthen energy ties with Bolivia.

Farnsworth says a fundamental change is under way in energy markets in the Americas, with the arrival of China, which he calls the "new player on the scene."

1 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

2 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

3 solidify   

v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)团结

参考例句：

• Opinion on this question began to solidify.对这个问题的意见开始具体化了。
• Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷冻会结冰。

4 pitfalls   

（捕猎野兽用的）陷阱( pitfall的名词复数 )； 意想不到的困难，易犯的错误

参考例句：

• the potential pitfalls of buying a house 购买房屋可能遇到的圈套
• Several pitfalls remain in the way of an agreement. 在达成协议的进程中还有几个隐藏的困难。

5 rifts   

n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和

参考例句：

• After that, through the rifts in the inky clouds sparkled redder and yet more luminous particles. 然后在几条墨蓝色云霞的隙缝里闪出几个更红更亮的小片。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• The Destinies mend rifts in time as man etches fate. 当人类想要再次亵渎命运的时候，命运及时修正了这些裂痕。 来自互联网

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 boon   

n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠

参考例句：

• A car is a real boon when you live in the country.在郊外居住，有辆汽车确实极为方便。
• These machines have proved a real boon to disabled people.事实证明这些机器让残疾人受益匪浅。

8 mutuality   

n.相互关系，相互依存

参考例句：

• The idea of family, mutuality, the sharing of benefits and burdens for the good of all. 这就是家庭、共同性、为所有人的利益分享收益，分担负担。 来自演讲部分
• He practiced Guanxi, a Chinese term that conveys trust and mutuality. 他运用[关系]-一个传达信任和互利的中文名词。

9 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

10 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

11 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

12 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

13 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

14 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

15 onerous   

adj.繁重的

参考例句：

• My household duties were not particularly onerous.我的家务活并不繁重。
• This obligation sometimes proves onerous.这一义务有时被证明是艰巨的。

16 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

17 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

18 bulwark   

n.堡垒，保障，防御

参考例句：

• That country is a bulwark of freedom.那个国家是自由的堡垒。
• Law and morality are the bulwark of society.法律和道德是社会的防御工具。

19 incremental   

adj.增加的

参考例句：

• For logic devices, the incremental current gain is very important. 对于逻辑器件来说，提高电流增益是非常重要的。 来自辞典例句
• By using an incremental approach, the problems involving material or geometric nonlinearity have been solved. 借应用一种增量方法，已经解决了包括材料的或几何的非线性问题。 来自辞典例句

20 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

22 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

23 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

24 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

25 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。