美国国家公共电台 NPR--EU ministers will meet to discuss Russia's natural gas disruptions

EU ministers will meet to discuss Russia's natural gas disruptions

Transcript¹

Europe's energy ministers meet Friday to present a common front against Russia shutting off gas supplies. They're expected to announce considerable belt tightening² measures.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

European Union energy ministers meet in Brussels today to look at options for getting through this winter in the midst of unprecedented³ Russian gas cuts and skyrocketing energy prices.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

As the EU tries to wean itself off of Russian gas, Russian President Vladimir Putin has predicted that European solidarity⁴ will splinter in the hard months ahead.

MART?NEZ: NPR's Eleanor Beardsley is in Brussels.

Eleanor, what's the situation in Europe? What's happening today?

ELEANOR BEARDSLEY, BYLINE⁵: Well, as we speak, energy ministers from 27 EU nations are meeting to discuss a list of possible options for bringing prices down and getting through the winter. Europe has decreased its consumption of Russian gas from 40% to less than 10%. And its reserve targets for the winter are nearly full. But it's still going to be a very difficult winter, and not just this winter. I spoke⁶ with Francois-Regis Mouton, who's with the International Oil and Gas Producers Association in Europe. And here's what he told me.

FRANCOIS-REGIS MOUTON: Even if you boost any other alternatives from now on to 2026, 2027, Europe will not be able to supply its gas demand.

BEARDSLEY: So that's going to mean that some businesses won't make it. Things will have to change. But he said the good news is that high prices will encourage the development of other sources, like liquefied natural gas. And he says there will hopefully be a rebalancing of the market in a few years and that the EU will no longer be dependent on Russian energy. But Europe has to survive until then.

MART?NEZ: Yes, they do. Now, what are the options the EU ministers are considering today?

BEARDSLEY: Right. So already governments like Germany and France are spending billions to prop⁷ up consumers, but they can't do that forever. And the main things that have support from EU members are decreasing demand across the continent, across the board, industry and households. Governments are already launching campaigns to lower thermostats⁸, turn out lights. Right now it's voluntary, but this could become mandatory⁹. Europe needs to cut energy consumption by 15%. Another option is taxing companies making windfall profits - for example, people making electricity without gas, nuclear.

They've had huge, unexpected profits because of inflated¹⁰ prices - so funneling¹¹ some of those profits to consumers, back to governments. And there's also talk of granting credit lines to state utility companies that have been shut out of energy futures¹² markets because they've become too volatile¹³ because of Russia cutting the gas on and off. Now, there's also been talk of capping Russian gas prices. But so far, that has not gotten wide EU support. The thinking is it could further distort the market and discourage alternative suppliers.

MART?NEZ: Now, I think it's probably fair to say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is betting that this European solidarity won't last. So what are they saying in Brussels?

BEARDSLEY: Well, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said Putin's energy blackmail¹⁴ and his war will fail. She said Europe will prevail. People I talked to say there's really no choice now. They say, you know, Russia cannot be allowed to win the war in Ukraine. And there's a second factor really pushing things, pushing towards decarbonization and diversifying¹⁵ energy sources. That's climate change. It's here. Europe had a destructive summer of drought, heat waves and fires, and that's really helped convince people that the time to get off fossil fuels is now, and there's no going back. But, of course, getting unity¹⁶ among the 27 won't be easy. If the winter's harsh, we could see rationing¹⁷, blackouts, and governments fear social unrest.

MART?NEZ: NPR's Eleanor Beardsley in Brussels.

Eleanor, thanks.

BEARDSLEY: Thank you.

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 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

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 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。

8 thermostats   

n.恒温（调节）器( thermostat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This is the basic operating principle of many thermostats. 这是许多恒温箱的基本工作原理。 来自辞典例句
• Thermostats can be used to regulate the temperature of a room. 恒温器可用来调节室内温度。 来自辞典例句

9 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

10 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 funneling   

[医]成漏斗形：描述膀胱底及膀胱尿道交接区

参考例句：

12 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

13 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

14 blackmail   

n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓

参考例句：

• She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
• The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。

15 diversifying   

v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的现在分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• Some publishers are now diversifying into software. 有些出版社目前正兼营软件。 来自辞典例句
• Silverlit is diversifying into new markets, such as Russia and Eastern Europe. Silverlit正在使他们的市场变得多样化，开发新的市场如俄罗斯和东欧国家。 来自互联网

16 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

17 rationing   

n.定量供应

参考例句：

• Wartime austerities included food rationing and shortage of fuel. 战时的艰苦包括食物配给和燃料短缺。
• Food rationing was abolished in that country long ago. 那个国家早就取消了粮食配给制。