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11 布什将赴欧洲宣扬其环保政策
Bush Defends Environment Policy
David Gollust
11 Jun 2001 21:35 UTC
President Bush is calling for expanded research into global climate change while 1)reiterating his opposition to the 1997 Kyoto 2)treaty on global warming. He spoke as he prepared to leave for Europe, where his environmental policies are under criticism.
Mr. Bush said Monday the problem of global warming is real and that the United States, as the largest single 3)emitter of so-called "greenhouse gases" will not 4)evade its responsibility in helping deal with the issue.
But in an appearance in the White House Rose Garden, several hours before his departure for Europe, the President was unapologetic about his opposition to the Kyoto treaty which demanded sharp roll-backs in 5)emissions of pollutants and which Mr. Bush said is "fundamentally 6)flawed."
"Kyoto is in many ways unrealistic," the president continued. "Many countries cannot meet their Kyoto targets. The targets themselves were 7)arbitrary and not based upon science. For America, complying with those mandates would have a negative economic impact with layoffs of workers and price increases for consumers. And when you evaluate all these flaws, most reasonable people will understand that it's not sound public policy."
Mr. Bush said China and India as developing countries were 8)exempted from the emission control 9)regime of the Kyoto treaty, even though emerging economies as a group are now responsible for more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions.
At the same time, he said the United States' unwillingness to embrace a flawed treaty should not be seen by friends and 10)allies as an 11)abdication of responsibility, and said his administration is committed to a leadership role on climate change. "We recognize our responsibility and will meet it, at home, in our hemisphere, and in the world," he said. "My cabinet-level working group on climate change is recommending a number of 12)initial steps and will continue to work on additional ideas. The working group proposes the United States help lead the way by advancing the science on climate change, advancing the technology to monitor and reduce greenhouse gases and creating partnerships within our 13)hemisphere. And beyond, to monitor and measure and 14)mitigate emissions."
Mr. Bush said the administration would step-up funding for U.S. research into global warming and to bolster cooperation with research institutions around the world.
Though he said the rise of global temperatures during the past century and the increase in man-made 15)pollutants in the atmosphere in recent decades are scientific fact, Mr. Bush said it remains unclear what the connection between the two is, and how rapidly climate change will occur.
A report by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences - presented to the White House last week - concluded that the earth's temperature is rising, mainly due to human activities, and warned that dire environmental changes could occur this century.
(1)reiterate[ri:5ItEreIt]vt.反复地说, 重申
(2)treaty[5tri:tI]n.条约, 谈判
(3)emitter[I`mItE(r)]n.发射器
(4)evade[I5veId]v.规避, 逃避, 躲避
(5)emission[I5mIF(E)n]n.(光、热等的)散发, 发射, 喷射
(6)flaw[flC:]n.缺点, 裂纹vt.使破裂,使无效vi.生裂缝, 变的有缺陷
(7)arbitrary[5B:bItrErI; (?@) 5B:rbItrerI]adj.武断的, 独裁的, 专断的
(8)exempt[I^5zempt]v.免除adj.被免除的
(9)regime[reI5Vi:m]n.政体, 政权, 政权制度
(10)ally[5AlaI]v.结盟, 有关联, 同盟n.同盟国, 支持者
(11)abdication[9AbdI`keIFEn]n.退位, 让位
(12)initial[I5nIF(E)l]adj.最初的
(13)hemisphere[5hemIsfIE(r)]n.半球
(14)mitigate[5mItI^eIt]v.减轻
(15)pollutant[pE5lu:tEnt]n.污染物质
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