VOA标准英语10月-EU Ministers Discuss Funding Environment Projects

European environmental ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss ways to significantly cut greenhouse-gas emissions¹ - without hurting economies struggling with the current financial crisis. Lisa Bryant has more from Paris.

The European Union members discussed goals agreed to last year by the 27-member bloc² to slash³ greenhouse-gas emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels by the year 2020.

But the European Union is facing another problematic climate as the world wrestles⁴ with the worst financial crisis in decades. Italy and several other eastern European countries worry they will not be able to afford making the proposed emissions cuts.

Italy and Poland have warned they may veto the final EU climate change agreement if it is not to their liking⁵. During the meeting in Luxembourg, Italian Environment Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo told reporters the agreement was unsuitable in its present form.

But other ministers said they believed the final climate-change agreement would be largely unchanged.
　

French Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Planning Jean-Louis Borloo (C), French Junior minister for the Environment Nathalie Kosciusko- Morizet (R), and EU Commissioner6 for Environment Stavros Dimas (L) in Luxembourg, 20 Oct, 2008

The Europeans are racing⁷ to finalize⁸ their package before a U.N. climate change meeting in December. A number of EU countries, including Britain, along with the U.N. climate-change panel, believe it is important the Europeans stick to their greenhouse cutting goals and show leadership in this area.

European environment commission Stavros Dimas also objected to watering down the EU's objectives, as he made clear during remarks to the press this month.

"I am confident that an agreement will be settled by the end of this year and keeping to this timing⁹ is important, since we need to give to the international community a clear signal the European Union is on target to meet its own climate commitments," he said.

The EU meeting coincided with a new report by the environmental group the World Wide Fund for Nature claiming that climate change was increasing faster than predicted, with serious consequences in Europe and elsewhere.

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 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

3 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

4 wrestles   

v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的第三人称单数 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤

参考例句：

• The book also wrestles with the idea of individualism. 书中也与个人英雄主义的观念进行搏斗。 来自互联网
• He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. 和我们搏斗的人锻炼了我们的勇气，磨练了我们的技能。 来自互联网

5 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

6 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

7 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

8 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

9 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。