2006年VOA标准英语-Annan Blasts World Leaders Ignoring Climate Cha

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
15 November 2006

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has opened high-level talks at the U.N. Climate Change conference in Kenya, by urging leaders and their governments to get serious about tackling what he calls the "all-encompassing threat."

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Kofi Annan 
  
In his opening address, Annan said that there is a "frightening lack of leadership" with respect to countries curbing² their carbon dioxide and other emissions⁴ linked to climate change.

Speaking later to reporters, Annan said governments and the people who elect them need to take more responsibility for reigning⁵ in climate change.

"I think there are many leaders who are not taking climate change seriously, and I would want leaders around the world to really show courage and to know that if they do, their people and the population and the voters will be with them," he said.  "If they do not, I think the population and the voters should take the lead to let them know that they consider climate change seriously and that there may be a political cost if they don't show the political leadership to move the process forward."

Annan said the Kyoto Protocol⁶ is a solid first step, but additional measures by governments, business, consumers and others to curb¹ harmful emissions must be implemented⁷.

The 165 countries that ratified⁸ the Kyoto Protocol, which took effect last year, are legally committed to reducing their output of six carbon gases most responsible for causing global warming.

  
  
The worst of these gases is carbon dioxide, the by-product⁹ of burning oil, gas, and coal.  In industrialized countries, a lot of this burning gas and oil comes from car emissions.

Others include methane¹⁰ and nitrous oxide³.  The gases form a barrier that prevents the sun's energy from radiating back into space, thus raising the earth's temperature.

Such climate change has been linked to more frequent occurrences of drought, flooding, hurricanes, forest fires, and increases in the number of malaria¹¹ cases, with long-term impacts being rising sea levels and damage to crops.

The United States and Australia have refused to ratify¹² the protocol, raising the ire of many experts and activists¹³.  The United States accounts for about one quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

Annan urged the holdout countries to cut down on their emissions.

"If they do not sign the Kyoto agreement, they have to act, and be in step with the rest of the world or the rest of the industrialized world," he added.  "They have a responsibility to their citizens and to the rest of the world and the people who we share the planet with to bring their emissions under control.  Some American leaders have told me, 'We have not signed Kyoto, but we are going to take measures to fulfill¹⁴ it or even go beyond.'  So, let us wait and see if that happens."

The United States says the Kyoto treaty does not place enough responsibility on developing countries to cut pollution and its costs would harm the U.S. economy.

The U.N. Climate Change conference ends Friday.

1 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

2 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

3 oxide   

n.氧化物

参考例句：

• Oxide is usually seen in our daily life.在我们的日常生活中氧化物很常见。
• How can you get rid of this oxide coating?你们该怎样除去这些氧化皮？

4 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。

5 reigning   

adj.统治的，起支配作用的

参考例句：

• The sky was dark, stars were twinkling high above, night was reigning, and everything was sunk in silken silence. 天很黑，星很繁，夜阑人静。
• Led by Huang Chao, they brought down the reigning house after 300 years' rule. 在黄巢的带领下，他们推翻了统治了三百年的王朝。

6 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

7 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

8 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

9 by-product   

n.副产品，附带产生的结果

参考例句：

• Freedom is the by-product of economic surplus.自由是经济盈余的副产品。
• The raw material for the tyre is a by-product of petrol refining.制造轮胎的原材料是提炼汽油时产生的一种副产品。

10 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

11 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

12 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。

13 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》

14 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。