VOA慢速英语2014 气候变化会谈上未解决的问题

 

Climate Change Talks End with Hope, Unresolved Issues 气候变化会谈上未解决的问题

Climate change talks ended Friday in Lima, Peru. The international negotiations¹ included more than 10,000 particpants from about 200 countries.

气候变化会谈周五在秘鲁利马结束，这次国际会议有来自200多个国家的一万多名与会者参加。

Participants aimed to create a plan for reducing greenhouse gases around the world. They expected the plan to develop into a firm agreement at the next major climate change talks in Paris next year.

与会者希望就减少全世界的温室气体制定计划，希望该计划能在明年巴黎下一届重大气候变化会谈中发展为有力的协议。

The participants – including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon — agreed on the importance of limiting climate change.

与会者包括联合国秘书长潘基文，他们就限制气候变化的重要性达成一致。

“I carry a message of hope and urgency…”

“我传达了希望和紧迫感的信息...”

But they could not always agree on how to reach their goal.

但他们对如何实现目标未完全达成一致。

Representatives from developing nations repeated their belief that wealthy countries should take more responsibility for reducing their carbon pollution.

来自发展中国家的代表们重申其观点，即发达国家应该在减少其碳排放方面承担更多责任。

But U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that more than half of global warming gases come from developing nations. He said those nations must also make changes.

但美国国务卿约翰·克里周四说，一半以上的温室气体来自发展中国家，他说这些国家必须做出改变。

Scientists warn that greenhouse gases are causing the world’s temperature to rise. Global warming, they say, will cause droughts, floods and rising oceans.

科学家们警告说，温室气体导致全世界气温上升，他们称全球变暖将带来旱灾、洪灾和海平面上升。

Human rights

Many participants said that climate change was a human rights issue. Mary Robinson is the former president of Ireland and the United Nations Special Envoy² for Climate Change.

许多与会者称气候变化是个人权问题，玛丽·罗宾逊是爱尔兰前主席兼联合国气候变化特使。

“We need strong language about human rights because all climate action -- adaptation, mitigation -- helps human rights. But if we don’t get that strongly into the message, we won’t understand it’s about people.”

“我们需要强有力的人权语言，因为所有的气候行动，包括适应和减轻行动，都能帮助人权。但如果我们不将该信息强烈地表达出来，我们就不会明白它与人有关。”

Francesco Martone, who attended the talks, said Ms. Robinson has been a good spokesperson for human rights. Mr. Martone is a senior policy advisor³ for the Forest Peoples Programme. The group supports the hundreds of millions of people who depend on tropical forests in South America, Asia and Africa. Many of those forests are being severely⁴ reduced by development, including mining, logging and commercial farming.

与会者弗朗西斯科·马尔托内说，罗宾逊女士一直是人权方面不错的发言人，马尔托内是森林居民项目的高级政策顾问，该组织支持南美洲、亚洲和非洲地区数亿依靠热带森林生活的人们，很多森林因为开发而严重缩减，包括开矿、砍伐和商业农场。

Mr. Martone explained that the negative effects of climate change can damage the basic human rights to food, health and housing. He said that, at the same time, climate change policies must respect human rights.  

马尔托内解释说，气候变化的负面影响能破坏基本的人权，包括食物、健康和住房，他说气候变化政策必须尊重人权。

“For instance, imagine the expansion of, let’s say, oil fracking or large-scale mono culture plantation⁵ for bio fuels on indigenous⁶ people’s lands. That would have an impact of their right to land. If that right is not properly recognized, and if indigenous people cannot have a say on the decision, that will then have an impact on their life.”

“比如说，想象下，在原住民土地上继续的大规模的石油压裂，或者是为了生物燃料而进行的大规模单一森林栽培。这将对原住民的耕地权利产生影响，如果这些权利得不到合适的承认，如果原住民在决策上没有发言权，那么就会影响到他们的生活。”

But Mr. Martone said the talks in Peru did not produce any major gains in protecting human rights. The participants did say that a climate change plan would address human rights. However, Mr. Martone said the plan did not say how.

但马尔托内说，秘鲁会谈不会对保护人权产生什么重大的成果，与会者确实表示气候变化计划能解决人权问题，但马尔托内说该计划并没有给出具体做法。

“Let’s say that there is a cultural problem. Because the climate change negotiations are about carbon. So the key concern is that of ensuring that, you know, any action that will be undertaken will be quick and without any specific hurdles⁷. That the money flows out very quickly and without key hurdles, like safeguards.”

“比如说出现了文化问题，因为气候变化协商谈的是碳，所以关键问题是确保任何要采取的行动要迅速，且没有特别的障碍，这样资金就可以快速流动，不会遇到诸如安全等障碍。”

Words in This Story

greenhouse – adj. related to the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere caused by air pollution  

carbon – n. element that is found in petroleum⁸ and in all living plants and animals

mitigation – n. the making of something less severe or harmful

indigenous – adj. existing naturally in a particular region or environment

hurdles – n. things that make an achievement difficult

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

4 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

5 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

6 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

7 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

8 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。