美国国家公共电台 NPR--Ahead of $15 billion climate deal, Vietnam's human rights record is scrutinized

Ahead of $15 billion climate deal, Vietnam's human rights record is scrutinized¹

Transcript²

Activists³ want wealthy countries and investment institutions to address Vietnam's human rights record before they provide funds to the country to address climate change.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Wealthy nations and private investors⁴ are set to give Vietnam billions of dollars to help fight climate change in a way that boosts the country's economic development. But as NPR's Michael Copley reports, the climate deal has come under fire because of Vietnam's human rights record.

MICHAEL COPLEY, BYLINE⁵: In 2021, Vietnam said it would eliminate or offset⁶ its climate pollution by midcentury. The pledge was the result of a campaign by leading climate activists. State media reported at the time that Vietnam would need financial help from wealthy nations to meet its goal.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PHAM MINH CHINH: (Through interpreter) Vietnam wants to strengthen cooperation with international community in sustainable investment and development programs and projects in the time to come.

COPLEY: A year later, a group including the G7 and big investors, said they'd get Vietnam at least $15.5 billion through a program called the Just Energy Transition Partnership⁷. But by the time the deal was announced, climate activists who'd paved the way for it were imprisoned⁸ on what human rights experts say are trumped-up charges. Emilie Palamy Pradichit is a human rights lawyer in Thailand. She says the way the deal was handled leaves a troubling impression.

EMILIE PALAMY PRADICHIT: That countries who are supporting the partnership and international financial institutions do not really care much about civil society and climate activists being in jail.

COPLEY: Now, environmental and human rights groups are calling on President Biden and other world leaders to pressure Vietnam on its human rights practices. The groups want Vietnam to free all activists and stop suppressing civil society before it gets the climate funding. Activists say what's happening in Vietnam highlights a broader challenge of ensuring human rights are upheld as countries try to deal with the problem of climate change. Vietnam did recently release one of the climate activists, but so far there's little evidence that the government is changing course. That's according to Ben Swanton. He works for a human rights group called the 88 Project.

BEN SWANTON: There's no desire or no political will to engage with civil society.

COPLEY: Swanton says it's hard to see how a climate program that's aimed at benefiting local communities could succeed in that environment.

SWANTON: Without the involvement of civil society, there will be no one to hold the government accountable when it backtracks on its promises.

COPLEY: The White House and Vietnam's embassy in Washington didn't respond to messages. A plan for carrying out the funding program is expected by November.

Michael Copley, NPR News.

1 scrutinized   

v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The jeweler scrutinized the diamond for flaws. 宝石商人仔细察看钻石有无瑕庇 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Together we scrutinized the twelve lemon cakes from the delicatessen shop. 我们一起把甜食店里买来的十二块柠檬蛋糕细细打量了一番。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比

2 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。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

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 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

7 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

8 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。