美国国家公共电台 NPR--Advocates call on U.S. to help flooded Pakistan in the name of climate justice

Advocates call on U.S. to help flooded Pakistan in the name of climate justice

Transcript¹

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Huma Yusuf, columnist² for the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, about climate justice following the flooding that put one third of Pakistan under water.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Pakistan is asking the world for help following devastating³ floods. An exceptional monsoon⁴ season and rapidly melting glaciers⁵ wrecked⁶ vast areas of the country this summer. But in seeking help, many Pakistanis say they are not asking for charity. Huma Yusuf, who writes for a leading Pakistani newspaper, talks of climate reparations or climate justice.

HUMA YUSUF: Steve, today, Pakistan has one-third of its landmass under water. Thirty-three million people are homeless and affected⁷. Livestock⁸ has been killed, and the country's topsoil and all its crops are gone. We are looking at a country that's looking ahead to famine, that's looking ahead to massive food insecurity, to conflict, to homelessness, to climate migrants. So the first demand is, frankly⁹, for money.

INSKEEP: And the long-term demand may be for more money. Countries in what's often called the Global South - such as Africa, South Asia, South America - are among the first to face this scale of destruction from climate change. Many blame the more developed economies of the United States and Europe.

YUSUF: There's growing recognition that countries like Pakistan, which contribute to less than 1% of greenhouse gas emissions¹⁰, are now bearing the brunt of the greenhouse-gas-emitting activities of industrialized nations that have been happening not just in recent decades, but basically since the Industrial Revolution - and that if you see that, the cumulative¹¹ contribution to the greenhouse gases comes from the G20. It's not coming from countries like Pakistan or countries like Bangladesh, but that is where the effect is being felt. The industrialized nations that have profited from it are the ones that we now believe should be helping¹² out with this big bill.

INSKEEP: I want to make sure that we're getting at some of the nuances here. You're absolutely correct that industrialization came first to places like the U.K. and the United States and European nations. But today, China is the world's largest climate emitter, India is among the world's largest climate emitters, and even Pakistan is in the top 20 or so nations when we talk about total climate emissions. Is this not something that happens globally, even if it comes more from some places?

YUSUF: Well, I think the climate justice argument is that the 1.5-degree warming that we are approaching - it's cumulative, and that the wealth that has been accrued¹³ by industrialized nations over the past few decades through their high-emitting activities - it is that which is contributing to the climate change effects that we're seeing in the Global South today. I also do recognize, though, that there is going to have to be clarity in countries like Pakistan, which are increasingly starting to ask for loss and damage facilities or climate reparations of some kind, where they need to recognize that they have to make some difficult diplomatic or political choices around how they make these demands.

And what I mean by that is that, so far, a lot of the Global South has been using this idea of saying that, look, it's our turn - that if there are going to be calls for the globe to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions, that the most drastic cuts should come from those economies that have already had the chance to profit from high-emitting activities, for example, and that developing nations that need to play catch-up should now be given their turn. But I think events such as the floods in Pakistan right now have really changed the discourse¹⁴ locally. I think people are recognizing that no one can have a turn - that these high-emitting activities have to stop, and that those countries that are most affected need some kind of climate justice from those that have already benefited in the past.

INSKEEP: You have just touched on a key part of the political debate and also political resistance to a lot of climate actions in the United States. Americans see other countries demanding their turn to pollute while the United States restrains itself, and you're saying that other countries need to get past that framing.

YUSUF: I think that there is going to be a shift to much clearer asks for climate reparations, which take the form - in addition to sort of financial aid that you need to deal with things like relief after climate calamities¹⁵ such as the Pakistan floods, but also support for rehabilitation¹⁶. But I think, going beyond that, what you're going to see is growing demands for support for countries to have a quick green transition. And so that when we talk about climate reparations, it's a broad idea that encourages Western countries, for example, to share green technology or to include skills development as part of the reparations idea to help countries like Pakistan not try and play catch-up through high-emitting activities, for example, but to instead leapfrog that stage and go straight into economies that are growing, but growing through sustainable means because they have access to the same technologies that the West is now hoping to use as a way out of the climate change quagmire¹⁷.

INSKEEP: What is a way to frame fighting climate change and aiding countries like yours that large Democratic majorities in countries like the United States would see as being in their interest?

YUSUF: I do think that we're in a new era, where all countries - yours and mine - need better climate diplomacy¹⁸. Pakistan is currently in a process where it is trying to repair its bilateral¹⁹ relationship with the U.S. after a few difficult years. It's just signed a defense²⁰ deal to get some F-16s from the U.S. So you cannot, from one side, have that kind of diplomatic overture²¹ and defense relationship, and on the other side then try and point a blame finger at the U.S. and say also support us with climate reparations. Exactly the same with China - Pakistan has been turning to China for debt, for infrastructure²² development support. Pakistan's foreign debt is primarily owned to China. And as you've already mentioned, China is currently the highest-emitting nation.

So again, Pakistan is going to have to be clear about what kind of climate diplomacy narrative²³ it opts²⁴ for, but I don't want this to imply that the onus²⁵ is on countries like Pakistan to get their climate diplomacy right. This is something that even the U.S. needs to think about. So you're starting to see, for example, the EU has given a paltry²⁶ sum of financial aid to Pakistan in the wake of the flooding. At the same time, it is spending billions in order to put up all the defenses needed to keep climate migrants from across the Global South out of Europe's borders. It's that kind of disconnect between security planning, foreign policy planning and the realities of climate change that I think no country is getting right at this point.

INSKEEP: Huma Yusuf is a columnist for Dawn, one of the leading newspapers in Pakistan. Thanks so much.

YUSUF: Thank you.

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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 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

3 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

4 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

5 glaciers   

冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
• It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

6 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

9 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

10 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。

11 cumulative   

adj.累积的，渐增的

参考例句：

• This drug has a cumulative effect.这种药有渐增的效力。
• The benefits from eating fish are cumulative.吃鱼的好处要长期才能显现。

12 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。

13 accrued   

adj.权责已发生的v.增加( accrue的过去式和过去分词 )；（通过自然增长）产生；获得；（使钱款、债务）积累

参考例句：

• The company had accrued debts of over 1000 yuan. 该公司已积欠了1000多万元的债务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have accrued a set of commemoration stamps. 我已收集一套纪念邮票。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

15 calamities   

n.灾祸，灾难( calamity的名词复数 )；不幸之事

参考例句：

• They will only triumph by persevering in their struggle against natural calamities. 他们只有坚持与自然灾害搏斗，才能取得胜利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• One moment's false security can bring a century of calamities. 图一时之苟安，贻百年之大患。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

17 quagmire   

n.沼地

参考例句：

• On their way was a quagmire which was difficult to get over.路上他俩遇到了—个泥坑,很难过得去。
• Rain had turned the grass into a quagmire.大雨使草地变得一片泥泞。

18 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

19 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

20 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

21 overture   

n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉

参考例句：

• The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
• His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。

22 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

23 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

24 opts   

v.选择，挑选( opt的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• One player hoping to get another chance to shine if Mourinho opts to rest Cole backBridge. 假如穆里尼奥安排阿。科尔轮休，那么同一位置上的将会得到一个上场的机会来证实自己。 来自互联网
• If he opts out this summer, he d sign a five year deal. 如果今夏跳出，他估计会签五年。 来自互联网

25 onus   

n.负担；责任

参考例句：

• The onus is on government departments to show cause why information cannot bedisclosed.政府部门有责任说明不能把信息公开的理由。
• The onus of proof lies with you.你有责任提供证据。

26 paltry   

adj.无价值的，微不足道的

参考例句：

• The parents had little interest in paltry domestic concerns.那些家长对家里鸡毛蒜皮的小事没什么兴趣。
• I'm getting angry;and if you don't command that paltry spirit of yours.我要生气了，如果你不能振作你那点元气。