VOA标准英语2012--Scientists: Agriculture Major Player in Climate Change

Scientists: Agriculture Major Player in Climate Change

A team of scientists is urging that agriculture be a top priority in climate change negotiations¹, saying it’s vital for global food security and for reducing carbon emissions². The recommendations appear in the January 20th issue of Science magazine.
The international team was led by Sir John Beddington, Britain’s chief scientific advisor³. The article, What Next for Agriculture After Durban, follows the latest U.N. climate conference in December. It says negotiations there made “incremental progress” in helping⁴ farmers adapt to climate change while reducing agriculture’s contribution to global warming.
“Well, agriculture is important, period, because of the imperative⁵ of food security. And we’re falling short there in significant ways that have come to our attention, especially recently with the significant price shocks,” said Professor Molly Jahn of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, co-author of the Science article.
International prices have remained high since the food crisis of 2007/2008.
Agriculture is a major emitter of greenhouse gases. But Jahn said it also offers opportunities to lessen⁶ their effects with known and proven farming practices.
“So it represents both an activity that’s essential for our survival -- an activity that is threatened by climate change, especially in vulnerable parts of the world. And an opportunity to better manage meeting our needs while we reduce the emissions of various greenhouse gases that are accumulating in the atmosphere,” she said.
Faster response needed
The Science magazine article says the “integration of agriculture in the climate change negotiating process has moved at a slow pace.” However, it says at the same time climate change, forces affecting food security, and population growth have been moving “much faster.”
The scientists hope to influence policymakers.
Jahn said, “It was important for this team to get together precisely⁷ because so much work has been done. There’s so much information about opportunities and options, as well as threats. So this body was convened⁸ to carefully, objectively review that vast amount of information and synthesize clear policy relevant recommendations.”
Those recommendations include putting agriculture front and center in policy considerations.
“While we are transitioning to climate-smart agriculture, we need to assure that the world’s most vulnerable people will be considered in any policy strategies,” she said.
Another recommendation is to reduce the vast amount of food that’s lost, wasted or spoiled along the food chain – and to choose crops that place less stress on the environment.
“Given current knowledge, there’s a great deal we can do within current budgets and within current economic structures that will bring us forward to a better place with respect to agricultural practices in the developing and the developed world,” said Jahn.
Playing a bigger role
The magazine article calls on scientists to “assume a more prominent role” by ensuring clear data is available for climate change negotiations. It says that data can help spur investment in agriculture.
Professor Jahn warns “the window of opportunity to avert⁹ a humanitarian¹⁰, environmental and climate crisis is rapidly closing.” She adds urgent action is needed.
Agriculture’s role in climate change is expected to be discussed in June at Rio+20. The meeting in Brazil marks the 20th anniversary of the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. It’s commonly known as The Earth Summit.

1 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。

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 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

6 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

7 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

8 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

9 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

10 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。