VOA标准英语2009年-African Leaders Meet to Create Unified Cli

By Alan Boswell
Nairobi
13 October 2009

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki opened a pan-African summit in Nairobi designed to produce a unified¹ African position for global climate change talks in Copenhagen this December. The Kenyan head of state told the delegates that the world needed a more equitable² climate change policy.

 
A child brings his family's last goat to a slaughtering³ point as Nomads⁴ in Turkana sacrifice their animals to survive a bruising⁵ drought, 01 Oct 2009
The pan-African meeting is expected to call for substantial financial support from the developed world to help developing countries to adjust to a non-carbon-based economy.

African Union head Jean Ping said Sunday the continent will also be seeking "reparation and damages" from rich nations for the potentially catastrophic effects of rising temperatures on the region. The A.U. chairman said Africa is most vulnerable to climate change, despite accounting⁶ for only 3.5 percent of global greenhouse emissions⁷.

If the Nairobi summit is successful, the Copenhagen talks will mark the first time Africa will be entering the global climate change negotiations⁸ under a common position.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki echoed Mr. Ping, telling the Nairobi delegates that developed countries must take seriously creating an international framework that is fair to poor nations, who are expecting to be worst hit by climate change.

Mr. Kibaki also stressed Africa must also commit to exploring renewable energy solutions and to curbing⁹ deforestation.

Kenyan parliament member David Koech, serving as chairman of the Pan-African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change, which organized the event, said Africans expect global action because they are experiencing the harsh reality of an unfriendly climate.

"Ask any Kenyan, and every Kenyan will say, 'Please can you go sign that thing [possible Copenhagen document] very fast," he said. "Look at the animals that we lost the other day because of drought. Look at our lakes, they are drying up. Look at our rivers, they are drying up.' And I think, by extension, the same with other African countries. All of us are really feeling the effect, and therefore the need to sign. But we must ensure that the developed world also comes to support us in this endeavor."

Koech explains why the continent will demand compensation in the Copenhagen talks.

"It will be very expensive, for the developing world, especially Africa, to engage in clean energy and be able to develop at the same pace," said Koech. "That is why we are asking for mitigation. The developed world - yes you are the major causes. What are you giving us to to help us, to enable us develop like you? So we expect them to pay something to us."

Speaking at the summit, Kenya's environmental minister John Michuki warned Africa is not prepared for the global meeting. He said he feared that unless serious resources were spent over the next two months developing specific projects and numbers to justify¹⁰ the mitigation requests, the continent would leave the Copenhagen summit largely empty handed.

The United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen is intended to create the framework to replace the Kyoto Protocol¹¹, which expires in 2012.

Many around the world believe the success of the global talks will depend heavily on the positions taken by the United States, which notably¹² never ratified¹³ the Kyoto agreement. U.S. President Barack Obama has expressed support for climate change action, but faces a skeptical¹⁴ U.S. Congress.   

1 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

2 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

3 slaughtering   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The Revolutionary Tribunal went to work, and a steady slaughtering began. 革命法庭投入工作，持续不断的大屠杀开始了。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• \"Isn't it terrific slaughtering pigs? “宰猪的！ 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

4 nomads   

n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活

参考例句：

• For ten years she dwelled among the nomads of North America. 她在北美游牧民中生活了十年。
• Nomads have inhabited this region for thousands of years. 游牧民族在这地区居住已有数千年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 bruising   

adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式)

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• He slipped and fell, badly bruising an elbow. 他滑倒了，一只胳膊肘严重擦伤。 来自辞典例句

6 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

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。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 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。

10 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

11 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。

12 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

13 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。

14 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。