VOA标准英语2011--Durban Climate Conference Drags On With Few Signs of Progress

Durban Climate Conference Drags On With Few Signs of Progress

 

The United Nations climate conference in Durban, South Africa has gone into overtime¹, as delegates met Saturday to try to reach agreement on several deals to fight climate change. Observers still question if any of the proposals on the table are strong enough to have a real impact.

Negotiators representing nearly 200 nations worked through the night and well into the day Saturday, with hopes of leaving Durban with solid deals in place.

Among the key issues being discussed is whether to adopt a second commitment period of at least five years to the Kyoto Protocol³ - a pact², enacted⁴ in 2007 that legally binds⁵ governments to cut emissions⁶.

The current proposal being considered would extend the Kyoto Protocol for another term, if, in exchange, the United States, China and other big countries that are not a part of it, agree to negotiate a future replacement⁷ deal to cut emissions after 2020.

But even if a deal is reached here in Durban, some observers say the terms are still insufficient⁸ to combat climate change.

Delegates continue debating into the night during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17) in Durban, South Africa, December 9, 2011.

"It's all well and good to talk about long-term treaties post 2020, and that's essential and we support that and want to get a decision here launching a process to do that," said Alden Meyer, who is from the Union of Concerned Scientists. "But we also need a near term process to raise the level of ambition collectively, both developed and developing countries, to try to substantially raise efforts to close what's called the gigaton gap, which is the gap between the emissions reductions we have on the table and those that have to be made to stay under two degrees."

Two degrees centigrade is the amount by which scientists say the Earth can warm before causing irreversible damage to life systems.

Another big issue is setting up the Green Climate Fund, which is supposed to provide financing for environmental projects in developing countries. Countries have had a hard time agreeing on what sources of funding will be used for the fund, and on other technical aspects.

Harjeet Singh of ActionAid says it looks increasingly unlikely there will be a complete fund before the next climate conference in Qatar.

"Things are not looking very positive on the Green Climate Fund we see that the operationalization that we were expecting to definitely have happen in Durban, it's not really happening," said Singh. "It has been moved to next year so between now and Qatar it may happen sometime, which is quite depressing."

Singh said the United States, which has been asking that private firms have more access to the fund, is largely responsible for the delay.

Time is running out for a major deal to combat climate change, and many environmental ministers involved in the talks have already started heading home.

Some of the employees at the conference center have been asked to be available to work again on Sunday, suggesting negotiations⁹ may have a long way to go.

1 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

2 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

3 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。

4 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

5 binds   

v.约束( bind的第三人称单数 )；装订；捆绑；（用长布条）缠绕

参考例句：

• Frost binds the soil. 霜使土壤凝结。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Stones and cement binds strongly. 石头和水泥凝固得很牢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

8 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

9 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。