2019年CRI China's “miracle grass” contributes to global sustainable development: UN meeting

 

China's "miracle grass," known as Juncao, is being held up by UN officials as a way the Belt and Road Initiative is helping¹ advance sustainable development around the world.

A high-level meeting, titled "Juncao Technology: Concrete Contribution of the Belt and Road Initiative towards Synergies with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" convened² at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday.

The meeting brought together roughly 200 participants from UN organizations and UN member countries, including a number of countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. They've discussed how the Juncao technology is enabling green economies and sustainable development around the world.

Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, says Juncao is helping the development of a greener world. The ambassador says that since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, there have been many success stories of the BRI contributing to economic growth and better living conditions in participating countries, and the Juncao technology is one of the shining examples.

"Juncao technology, originated in China, is a comprehensive technology designed for poverty alleviation³, ecological⁴ protection and sustainable development. After years of development, Juncao technology has been applied⁵ in many countries along the routes of the Belt and Road. It helps the countries meet SDGs, such as eliminating poverty and hunger, promoting food security, ensuring and increasing employment, tackling climate change and protecting the ecological environment, and helps the people get rid of poverty and live a better life."

Juncao Technology was invented in 1986 by Chinese scientist Lin Zhanxi with the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry⁶ University. It allows edible⁷ and medicinal fungi⁸ to grow from chopped grass or herbal plants. The herbs are called "Juncao."

The Juncao Technology Project was launched at the UN headquarters in 2017, supported by the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund. So far, the Juncao technology has been introduced into 106 countries, including many countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Liu Zhenmin, says the Juncao technology is helping create new, green economies, while also protecting fragile ecosystems⁹.

"The Juncao technology is a small idea with proven big potentials. As demonstrated by experiences of countries that have participated in the Belt and Road Initiative, Juncao technology can catalyze¹⁰ synergies with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Through South-South cooperation and SDG17 partnership¹¹, we can help scale up and disseminate¹² this technology and its multiple concrete benefits. The 2030 Agenda calls for transformative initiatives and Juncao technology showcases a pathway whereby such initiatives can catalyze change, transform lives and livelihoods¹⁴, and create opportunities for a better future."

Speaking at the session on Thursday, President of the UN General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces says Juncao technology is helping with sustainable agriculture development, particularly in developing countries.

"I am pleased to learn that the Juncao technology is emblematic¹⁵ of China's Belt and Road Initiative. It supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, making an important contribution to several SDG goals and targets, from poverty eradication¹⁶ to clean energy, gender¹⁷ equality to preserving bio-diversity... Crucially the technology is making a difference where is matters most, at the local and community level, to the lives of farmers, women, children and persons with disabilities, those most at risk of being left behind. I commend China for giving us the example of multilateralism in action. Let this example inspire other such initiatives that facilitate our efforts towards a secure, inclusive and more sustainable world."

The high-level meeting included Agriculture ministers, economists¹⁸ and experts from Juncao technology pilot countries such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Lesotho, Nigeria and Madagascar, who shared with the audience their countries’ success stories of using the Juncao technology to reduce poverty, improve people’s livelihood¹³, protect environment, and all in all, to implement¹⁹ the UN SDG goals step by step.

1 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。

2 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。

3 alleviation   

n. 减轻，缓和，解痛物

参考例句：

• These were the circumstances and the hopes which gradually brought alleviation to Sir Thomas's pain. 这些情况及其希望逐渐缓解了托马斯爵士的痛苦。
• The cost reduction achieved in this way will benefit patients and the society in burden alleviation. 集中招标采购降低的采购成本要让利于患者，减轻社会负担。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

4 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

5 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

6 forestry   

n.森林学；林业

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。
• Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。

7 edible   

n.食品，食物；adj.可食用的

参考例句：

• Edible wild herbs kept us from dying of starvation.我们靠着野菜才没被饿死。
• This kind of mushroom is edible,but that kind is not.这种蘑菇吃得，那种吃不得。

8 fungi   

n.真菌，霉菌

参考例句：

• Students practice to apply the study of genetics to multicellular plants and fungi.学生们练习把基因学应用到多细胞植物和真菌中。
• The lawn was covered with fungi.草地上到处都是蘑菇。

9 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

10 catalyze   

v.催化

参考例句：

• They are highly specific for the reactions that they catalyze.它们对被它们催化的反应有很强的专一性。
• They are highly specific for the reactions that they catalyze.它们对被它们催化的反应有很强的专一性。

11 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。

12 disseminate   

v.散布；传播

参考例句：

• We should disseminate science and promote the scientific spirit.普及科学知识，弘扬科学精神。
• We sincerely welcome all countries to disseminate their languages in China.我们真诚地欢迎世界各国来华推广本国语言。

13 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

14 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

15 emblematic   

adj.象征的，可当标志的；象征性

参考例句：

• The violence is emblematic of what is happening in our inner cities. 这种暴力行为正标示了我们市中心贫民区的状况。
• Whiteness is emblematic of purity. 白色是纯洁的象征。 来自辞典例句

16 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

17 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

18 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。