VOA标准英语2009年-UN Climate Talks Open in Bangkok Amid Conc

By Daniel Schearf
Bangkok, Thailand
28 September 2009

United Nations talks on climate change have opened in Bangkok with more than 4,000 participants from 177 countries trying to narrow differences on ways to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions². There are concerns that time is running out on reaching a deal. And, many are looking for concrete steps from the United States.

The U.N. climate change talks opened Monday with warnings that time was running out on reaching a deal.

Industrialized and developing nations have for two years been trying to come up with a workable framework for December negotiations³ in Copenhagen but with little to show for it.

And with only two months left and numerous hurdles⁴ remaining, questions are being raised about whether nations can narrow their differences in time.

 
UN Climate chief Yvo de Boer prior to the start of the opening session of the UN climate talks in Bangkok, Thailand, 28 Sep 2009
Yvo de Boer, the U.N.'s top climate change official, told delegates there was still time to break deadlocks⁵, but he said countries that could be more ambitious should act now.

"The political winds are behind you, the negotiating sails are set," he said. "With all my heart, I urge you to pull up an anchor and make full sail before we lose the tide and are left stranded⁶ on the beach, exposed to the coming storms."

Many nations have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but are falling short of the target reduction of 25 to 40 percent of 1990 levels.

The European Union has the most ambitious target of 30 percent reduction, while Japan recently announced a 25 percent reduction target.

De Boer told journalists that nations were waiting to see what position the United States would take in the talks.

John Pershing, Washington's deputy special envoy⁷ for climate change, says President Obama supports U.S. emission¹ reductions comparable to the European Union and Japan, but wants legally binding⁸ commitments from other countries as well.

"We're looking at a process where we can take national commitments and have those enforced," said Pershing. "And, at the international level have a process thorough which countries stand behind the actions they inscribe⁹."

Greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide are thought to be a major cause behind rising temperatures that have lead to extreme weather and food shortages.

The two weeks of talks in Bangkok will be followed by November talks in Barcelona before the final negotiations.

1 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

2 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。

3 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。

4 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

5 deadlocks   

僵局( deadlock的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They deluge Washington with proposals to break deadlocks. 他们使华盛顿淹没在试图打开僵局的各种各样的建议里。
• Pennsylvania produced the first of the game's two deadlocks at 5:00 of the second quarter. 这次比赛出现两次平局，在第二个四分之一场的第五分钟宾夕法尼亚州队第一次将比分拉平。

6 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

7 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

8 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

9 inscribe   

v.刻；雕；题写；牢记

参考例句：

• Will you inscribe your name in the book?能否请你在这本书上签名？
• I told the jeweler to inscribe the ring with my name.我叫珠宝商把我的名字刻在那只戒指上。