2007年VOA标准英语-UN Report Adds Pressure to Global-Warming Fight

By Paul Sisco
Washington
05 February 2007
 
watch World Climate Report

Scientists from around the world have been meeting in Paris, working out final details of an exhaustive report on climate change and global warming.  Now what?  VOA's Paul Sisco reports.

The lights on the Eiffel Tower were switched off.  It was a symbolic¹ act, marking the end of a weeklong United Nations conference on climate change, and release of the most detailed² scientific report to date on global warming -- and that human beings are responsible for it. 

Kenneth Denman, an author of the report says, "We're hoping that it will convince people, you know, that climate change is real."

Hundreds of scientists and officials representing more than 100 governments concluded that the burning of fossil fuels and other human activity is responsible for global warming.  And it is likely to continue for centuries.

Panel member Susan Soloman says the change is rapid. "You can see this remarkable³ rapid rise that began with the Industrial era.  There can be no question that the increases in these gases, these greenhouse gasses are dominate by human activity."

The report makes no policy recommendations but links global warming to rising sea levels, increased drought in some regions and violent storm patterns.

Dr. Achim Steiner directs the United Nations Environmental Program. He says policy makers⁴ must be committed. "We are also looking for an unequivocal commitment from policy makers, business leaders and civic⁵ society leaders to take climate change as truly the challenge of our century."

Some delegates wanted policy recommendations in the report, ranging from wider use of renewable energy resources, to development of so-called geo-engineering technologies -- giant mirrors in space, for example, to deflect⁶ some of the sun's rays.

A University of Arizona researcher, Roger Angel, is exploring the possibility of launching a huge quantity of small plastic discs into orbit, to shield the Earth by diffusing⁷ a small amount of the sun's radiation. "The effect could be to take our temperature back to pre-industrial levels."

These ideas are very experimental. 

Climate scientist Michael MacCracken explains what can be done. "There are a host of things to do.  First, many different technologies are cost effective right now, and what we need to do is [use] as many of them as we can, before we get into these geo-engineering technologies.

MacCracken, like most of the scientists at the Paris conference, says the immediate⁸ focus must be on reducing carbon emissions⁹, not on looking to outer space for solutions to the global warming problem.

1 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

2 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。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

6 deflect   

v.(使)偏斜，(使)偏离，(使)转向

参考例句：

• Never let a little problem deflect you.决不要因一点小问题就半途而废。
• They decided to deflect from the original plan.他们决定改变原计划。

7 diffusing   

（使光）模糊，漫射，漫散( diffuse的现在分词 )； （使）扩散； （使）弥漫； （使）传播

参考例句：

• Compounding this confusion is a diffusing definition of journalist. 新闻和娱乐的掺和扩散了“记者”定义。
• Diffusing phenomena also so, after mix cannot spontaneous separating. 扩散现象也如此，混合之后不能自发的分开。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 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。