How sanctions against Russia could set back climate change work in the Arctic

How sanctions against Russia could set back climate change work in the Arctic

Transcript¹

Scientists in the Arctic are concerned that the rift² with Russia over Ukraine will set back crucial work on climate change.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Isolating³ Russia from the international community is bringing key work on climate change in the Arctic to a halt, in part because Russia currently chairs the international group known as the Arctic Council. This as the United Nations warns time is running out to reverse catastrophic global warming. NPR's Quil Lawrence sent this report from the Arctic Circle in Norway, where scientists hope for a thaw⁴ in relations.

QUIL LAWRENCE, BYLINE⁵: Working in the Arctic is dangerous. Norwegian Coast Guard crew insisted NPR's team put on Arctic survival suits before a short ride on a skiff outside the city of Tromso. It's like a combination between a wetsuit and a snowsuit designed to keep you alive in the water for maybe an hour while you get rescued. Aboard the ship, a conversation about search and rescue quickly turns to a conversation about fish.

PAL⁶ BRATBAK: So there is fishery cooperation between Norway and Russia.

LAWRENCE: Captain Pal Bratbak (ph) rescues fishermen from any nation as they follow cod⁷ around the Arctic Ocean.

BRATBAK: The cod, the cold fishes, they don't see the border. So we help every boat in our area.

LAWRENCE: Management of the Barents Sea cod fleet is considered a success worldwide, both economically and environmentally, says Bratbak.

BRATBAK: And that's important for Norway and European Union and NATO and the whole world. And it's important for the Russians.

LAWRENCE: But he worries things are different since Ukraine. The coast guard also enforces the fishing laws. Years ago, in a rare case, a Russian trawler fled from a coast guard ship with Norwegian inspectors⁸ on board into Russian waters. Back then, Russian authorities promptly⁹ arrested the captain and returned the inspectors. Captain Bratbak hopes the same cooperation would happen today.

BRATBAK: In these days, Russian can use other methods to negotiate, like the Ukraine conflict. They are willing to use more power than talking.

LAWRENCE: Captain Bratbak says he's not too worried. These fishermen know their work depends on cooperation. The same goes with scientists.

KIM HOLMEN: One of the important issues up here is, of course, climate change.

LAWRENCE: Kim Holmen is with the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromso, where the international Arctic Council would normally be coordinating¹⁰ climate research.

HOLMEN: Well, the Arctic Council's office is in this building. And they are, of course, on hold. It's not something you can point out that failed today, but it's ongoing¹¹.

LAWRENCE: Holmen has worked on Arctic climate science for over 30 years, collaborating¹² across the border. Russia has about half the world's arctic landmass, including permafrost that, if it melts, could release megatons of trapped carbon and greenhouse gases. Scientists like Holmen count on their Russian colleagues.

HOLMEN: I mean, we have common publications. We have collected data together. We've been on each other's cruises. I've been to people's homes in Saint Petersburg, not only done scientific, but good friends.

LAWRENCE: At the moment, Holmen isn't in contact with those friends. The lesson from back in Soviet¹³ days is that communication will only get them into trouble, which would delay getting back to work. Elana Wilson Rowe, with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs in Oslo, says the drive to sanction Russia has pushed aside scientific cooperation.

ELANA WILSON ROWE: And at some point in the future, when something has changed within Russia or reached some sort of accord with Ukraine, there's a chance that science cooperation might be one of the first things to come back online.

LAWRENCE: But she warns some things may not come back. Some Russian academics have surprised her with full-throated endorsements¹⁴ of Vladimir Putin's war. And Russia has ambitions in the warming Arctic that includes control of the Northeast Passage, which would cut shipping¹⁵ time between China and Europe and exploiting newly accessible oil and mineral wealth. Russia's pariah¹⁶ status may not bode¹⁷ well for international cooperation on climate, says Professor Rowe

ROWE: As the situation changes and hopefully improves for the people of Ukraine, there will be some opening. But I think it will certainly feel like a new chapter in Arctic cooperation. And it's probably a very chilly¹⁸ one.

HOLMEN: Polar scientists are used to the cold.

LAWRENCE: Kim Holmen says the Arctic is in danger. But he knows his Russian colleagues also want to save it.

HOLMEN: We hope and wish to pick up when it thaws¹⁹.

LAWRENCE: Quil Lawrence, NPR News, Tromso, Norway.

(SOUNDBITE OF JOEP BEVING'S "AB OVO")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

3 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句

4 thaw   

v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和

参考例句：

• The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
• The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 pal   

n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友

参考例句：

• He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。
• Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着，小子，我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。

7 cod   

n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗

参考例句：

• They salt down cod for winter use.他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃。
• Cod are found in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.北大西洋和北海有鳕鱼。

8 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

10 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

11 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

12 collaborating   

合作( collaborate的现在分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• Joe is collaborating on the work with a friend. 乔正与一位朋友合作做那件工作。
• He was not only learning from but also collaborating with Joseph Thomson. 他不仅是在跟约瑟福？汤姆逊学习，而且也是在和他合作。

13 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

14 endorsements   

n.背书( endorsement的名词复数 )；（驾驶执照上的）违章记录；（公开的）赞同；（通常为名人在广告中对某一产品的）宣传

参考例句：

• He must make much money on those tennis shoe endorsements he does. 他替那些网球鞋珍重广告，就赚了不少钱。 来自互联网
• But celebrity endorsements remain an important promotional tool for marketers. 尽管如此，邀明星助阵仍是营销人员重要的推广手段之一。 来自互联网

15 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

16 pariah   

n.被社会抛弃者

参考例句：

• Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village.不一会儿，汤姆碰上了村里的少年弃儿。
• His landlady had treated him like a dangerous criminal,a pariah.房东太太对待他就像对待危险的罪犯、对待社会弃儿一样。

17 bode   

v.预示

参考例句：

• These figures do not bode well for the company's future.这些数字显示出公司的前景不妙。
• His careful habits bode well for his future.他那认真的习惯预示著他会有好的前途。

18 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

19 thaws   

n.（足以解冻的）暖和天气( thaw的名词复数 )；（敌对国家之间）关系缓和v.（气候）解冻( thaw的第三人称单数 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化

参考例句：

• The sun at noon thaws the ice on the road. 中午的阳光很快把路上的冰融化了。 来自辞典例句
• It thaws in March here. 在此地化雪的季节是三月。 来自辞典例句