VOA常速英语2008年-UN Warns Rising Fuel Costs, Inequalities Raise

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
28 April 2008

A senior United Nations official warns that economic inequalities in the Asia-Pacific region could worsen as energy costs rise. As Ron Corben reports from Bangkok, energy security and poverty reduction are key themes at this week's meeting of the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

To the strains of Verdi's "Va Pensiero", the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific opened its annual conference Monday. The delegates in Bangkok will focus on the need to secure affordable¹ energy to fuel the region's development.

UNESCAP Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer said in her opening address that rising social inequalities, exacerbated² by record high oil prices, could trigger an "imminent³ crisis" if lower-income groups begin to lose ground.

"Income inequalities have led, among others, to serious social and environmental imbalances. An increasing part of the region house the world's poor and live in areas where the environment is under stress," she said. "The poorest people may use less energy but actually pay proportionately more than the rich for energy services. These high levels of inequality erode⁴ social cohesion⁵ in the region."

The Asia-Pacific region is home to 641 million of the world's poor. Many development experts fear that number will increase because of rising food prices and rocketing oil costs.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej urged the delegates to push for reforms that ensure environmentally sustainable energy supplies.

"Our region urgently and seriously needs to consider energy management reform, promotion⁶ of cooperation in the energy sector⁷, efficient energy usage, clean energy promotion, and development of alternative and renewable energy," said Samak.

A new UNESCAP report calls energy security the key challenge to the region's development.

The report says energy consumption in the region has doubled since 1980 because of high economic growth and growing populations. Over the next 22 years, it says, the region will need up to nine trillion dollars in new infrastructure⁸ to meet its energy needs.

UNESCAP chief Heyzer says governments can not do the job alone.

 

"It's time to hold the private sector accountable and obviously they are a player and they have to be accountable to progress and also the way they use scare resources," she said. "At the same time, governments have got to have the right policies."

 

The U.N. report urges governments to work with businesses to find renewable energy sources for the region.

1 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

2 exacerbated   

v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The symptoms may be exacerbated by certain drugs. 这些症状可能会因为某些药物而加重。
• The drugs they gave her only exacerbated the pain. 他们给她吃的药只是加重了她的痛楚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

4 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

5 cohesion   

n.团结，凝结力

参考例句：

• I had to bring some cohesion into the company.我得使整个公司恢复凝聚力。
• The power of culture is deeply rooted in the vitality,creativity and cohesion of a nation. 文化的力量，深深熔铸在民族的生命力、创造力和凝聚力之中。

6 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

7 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。

8 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。