2007年VOA标准英语-UN Calls For Action to Reduce Climate-Related R

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
10 August 2007

United Nations Disaster Reduction officials say the effects of climate change are having a dangerous impact now and governments must urgently take action to protect their communities from floods and other hazards provoked by extreme weather. They say steps must be taken to reduce current risks and to prepare for a worsening future under a changed climate. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

A village is seen submerged in flood waters in Darbhanga in the Indian state of Bihar, 02 Aug 2007

In recent months, millions of people around the world have have lost their homes and livelihoods¹. Many have lost their lives from weather-related disasters such as storms, floods, droughts, and heat waves. About 30 million people in South Asia currently are suffering the consequences of some of the worst flooding in memory.

Senior official at the U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Reid Basher, says the situation will worsen with climate change. He warns that extreme weather will occur with greater frequency and intensity² around the world.

"We have to act now. We have to put into place these things we know about," said Basher. "It is not rocket science. It is plain, simple stuff about building stronger houses, putting in warning systems, educating the public."

"So, that we are not flat-footed when these events come and with climate change, we expect there will be more of these events. It is very clear the current floods, for example, in the United Kingdom are record rainfalls. O.K. So, we cannot say this is due to climate change, but it sure is the type of thing that we will expect to see more of in the future," he continued. 

U.N. disaster officials are urging governments to speed up implementation³ of the so-called Hyogo Framework for Action. The plan was endorsed⁴ in Kobe, Japan, by 168 governments shortly after the tsunami⁵ in the Indian Ocean.

Basher calls it a road map of concrete measures to help countries become more resilient against natural disasters, thereby⁶ reducing the risks. He says a number of countries such as Nepal and India have taken important steps in that direction, with good results.

"China is another really good example," said Basher. "In 1959, there was a flood or flooding that caused a loss of two million lives. Now, every year, they have the same sorts of floods, possibly even worse."

"But, the numbers killed are only in the order of say 500 a year. So, I think you can see that the modest investments in early warning systems, evacuation systems, public education, better building standards, these pay off and clearly in the China case, pay off very handsomely," he added.

The United Nations says floods accounted for 84 percent of all disaster deaths between 2000 and 2005 and amounted to 65 percent of all disaster losses. Between 1992 and 2001, it says losses caused by flooding came to $466 billion.

U.N. disaster officials say it will take hundreds of years to cut greenhouse gas emissions⁷, which scientists say are causing climate change.

1 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

2 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

3 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

4 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

6 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

7 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。