VOA双语新闻:17、财政争议影响联合国气候变化论坛(在线收听

 

财政争议影响联合国气候变化论坛

Disputes over finances have hampered progress at U.N. climate talks in Poland as delegates debate how to best provide aid to help developing countries fight global warming.

财务争议影响在波兰举行的联合国气候变化会议,与会代表对如何向发展中国家提供援助,协助它们对抗全球暖化有不同意见。

Meanwhile, a small group of protesters outside the talks expressed displeasure over how financial issues have bogged down efforts to prevent climate change.

针对资金问题使防止气候变化的工作陷于停顿,一小群抗议人士在联合国气候变化会议表达不满。

Developing countries are challenging wealthy nations to follow through on a pledge to allocate $100 billion a year to help them deal with climate change. The commitment is supposed to be in place by 2020, yet there is concern that industrialized nations are not living up to that promise, according to Simon Bradshaw, a climate change spokesman at Oxfam.

发展中国家正在挑战富裕国家能否实现承诺,一年拨出1千亿美元来协助他们应对气候变化问题。这个承诺的资金应在2020年到位。不过,乐施会气候变化问题发言人赛门?布拉德肖说,工业化国家是否能实现这个承诺已经引起人们的担忧。

"The worry is that developed countries just have not delivered fast enough on the finance commitments that were made right back in 2009. We have seen very little new money on the table this year and we have not seen strong, credible plans from any country on how they are going to scale up their contributions," said Bradshaw.

赛门?布拉德肖说: “人们担忧发达国家实现2009年资金承诺的速度不够快。我们今年没有看到什么新的援助资金,也没有看到任何国家提出可信的计划表示将提高援助。”

The talks on climate change are taking place as the Philippines continues to reel after being devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.

气候变化会议举行时,菲律宾还在继续处理海燕台风过后留下的灾情。

The World Bank estimated that global economic losses causes by extreme weather -- such as this storm -- have risen to nearly $200 billion annually and could continue to rise as climate change worsens.

世界银行说,像是这个台风等恶劣气候问题,所造成的全球经济损失,已经达到每年2千亿美元,这个数字还可能随着气候的恶化而持续升高。

However, the talks have come at a time when many industrialized nations are trying to spur growth in their stagnant economies.

不过,这个变化发生的时间点,正值许多工业化国家试图要刺激他们停滞不前的经济。

"We cannot have a system where there will be automatic compensation whenever severe weather events are happening in one place or other around the planet.  You can understand why this is not feasible," said Connie Hedegaard, the European Commissioner for Climate Action.

欧洲委员会气候变化专员康妮?赫泽高: “我们不可能有一个系统能在全球任何地方一旦发生恶劣气候状况时自动给予补偿。你们可以了解为什么这是不可能做到的事情。“

Mary Sering, the Philippine representative at the talks, criticized the lack of an agreement on greenhouse gas emissions.

菲律宾代表玛丽?塞林格对于缺乏一个温室气体排放的协议提出批评。

"If we are to review our progress, would it be right for me to conclude that we failed miserably?  Looking at science and how it manifested itself, not only at Typhoon Haiyan but also other events, like Katrina in the United States, the heat wave in France, the wildfires in Australia, and other extreme events occurring after observed increased warming, should we not be all ashamed being here?" asked Sering.

菲律宾代表玛丽?塞林格说:“如果我们评估我们的进展,我是否可以作出一个我们已彻底失败的结论呢?从科学及科学证明来说,不仅是海燕台风,其他如美国的卡特里娜飓风、法国的热浪、澳大利亚的森林野火,以及其他是因已知的暖化而引起的极端气候事件,难道我们不应为至今仍在这里感到惭愧吗?”

The conference continues through Friday. The group hopes to lay the groundwork for a 2015 climate agreement.

这个会议进行到星期五结束。与会代表希望为能够在2015年达成一个协议奠定基础。

  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/voabn/2013/11/236687.html