VOA慢速英语2015 多国准备应对气候变化

 

AS IT IS 2015-01-08 Nations Preparing to Deal with Climate Change 多国准备应对气候变化

In 2014, the United Nations released a series of climate reports that showed temperatures on Earth are rising. That is the bad news. The good news is that countries are working together to fight climate change.

Experts say a two-degree rise in temperature above pre-industrial times will cause serious damage that cannot be reversed¹. The pre-industrial period ended in the middle of the 18th century. That was followed by the Industrial Revolution, when machines and new manufacturing processes were created.

Michael Oppenheimer is a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University in New Jersey². He says air pollution emissions³ must be reduced before temperatures rise.

“That makes it incumbent⁴ upon governments to get moving quickly, which is why there's so much focus on the meeting in Lima and the meeting a year from now that's planned for Paris.”

The recent United Nations talks in Peru were designed to prepare officials for a meeting in Paris, France later this year. Many nations will sign a global climate agreement at that meeting.

The agreement reached in Peru is different from earlier agreements. Developing countries like China and India are promising⁵ to join richer countries in reducing emissions. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said developing nations are having a large effect on the environment.

“More than half of global emissions -- more than half -- are coming from developing nations. So it is imperative⁶ that they act, too.”

China and the United States acted -- they signed an agreement. American officials said the U.S. would reduce emissions between 26 and 28 percent by 2025. China said it would begin reducing emissions in 2030.

Michael Oppenheimer says other countries will release their environmental plans early this year. He says negotiators continue to discuss details of the agreement before the conference opens in Paris. But he says he hopes people understand that an agreement is just the beginning of efforts to reduce global warming.

“No matter what comes out of Paris, it's important that this problem be revisited continually to make sure that countries are living up to their commitments. And that means active and engaged citizenries in all these countries have to push, push, push on their governments.”

Professor Oppenheimer says if countries do not take action the planet will become warmer faster than at any time in the history of civilization. 

Words in this Story

reversed - v. to cause something such as a process to stop or return to an earlier state

emissions – n. something sent out or given off

incumbent upon – idiomatic⁷. to be necessary for someone

imperative – adj. very important

revisited – v. to think about or look at (something) again

citizenries/citizenry – n. all the citizens of a place (usually singular)

1 reversed   

v.（使）反转( reverse的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）颠倒；（使）翻转；推翻adj.颠倒的

参考例句：

• The new president reversed many of the policies of his predecessor. 新任总统彻底改变了其前任的许多政策。
• The appeal court reversed the original verdict and set the prisoner free. 上诉法庭撤销了原判，把那个犯人释放了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

3 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

4 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

5 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

6 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

7 idiomatic   

adj.成语的，符合语言习惯的

参考例句：

• In our reading we should always be alert for idiomatic expressions.我们在阅读过程中应经常注意惯用法。
• In his lecture,he bore down on the importance of idiomatic usage in a language.他在演讲中着重强调了语言中习惯用法的重要性。