VOA新闻杂志2023--加拿大取消化石燃料补贴

Canada Releases Plan to End Inefficient¹ Fossil Fuel Subsidies²

Canada on Monday presented its plan for ending many of its fossil fuel industry subsidies. The plan's release makes Canada the first member-country of the Group of 20 to honor a 2009 promise to end government financial support to the industry.

Climate policy experts say the announcement marks an important step forward. But some argue that the plan falls short by continuing to permit government support for some oil and gas projects. The proposed measure includes exceptions that would permit subsidies for projects that plan to reduce emissions⁴ through technology like carbon capture and storage, or CCS.

Canada said it will not cancel any current multi-year subsidy⁵ agreements that are already in place.

Steven Guilbeault is Canada's Environment Minister. He said the plan guarantees that "federal support for oil and gas goes to projects that decarbonize" their production and show substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Active fossil fuel operations are exempt⁶ from the policy if they fall into one of six categories. One category is the ability to reduce carbon emissions. Another is support for clean energy. Businesses that provide critical energy to rural communities are another exempted⁷ category, as are those that support native communities in fossil fuel activities or those that have a plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.

Bringing an end to fossil fuel subsidies is part of a 2022 deal signed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal party and the New Democratic Party (NDP).

The NDP critic for Climate Change and Environment, Laurel Collins, said the new rules do not go far enough.

Collins said, "it is clear that this announcement doesn't meet the urgency of the moment when climate disasters are putting everything we value at risk."

Canada is the world's fourth-largest oil producer. Carbon capture is expected to play a major part in decarbonizing the industry. Canada last year announced a CCS investment tax credit. Carbon capture is a process by which carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere and stored underground.

The Pathways Alliance is a partnership⁸ between Canada's six largest oil sands producers. It is planning to develop a $12 billion CCS center in northern Alberta. Pathways President Kendall Dilling said in a statement that the organization was happy the framework recognized the need for government partnership on the project.

Canada is expected to release a plan to end public financing of fossil fuel projects within the next year.

Julia Levin is with the climate group Environmental Defense⁹. "The Government of Canada must quickly take the final step and end all fossil financing – without any loopholes for fossil gas, fossil hydrogen or CCS," she said.

Words in This Story

subsidy — n. money that is paid usually by a government to keep the price of a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue to function

emission³ — n. the act of producing or sending out something from a source

greenhouse gas — n. any of various gaseous¹⁰ compounds (such as carbon dioxide or methane) that absorb infrared¹¹ radiation, trap heat in the atmosphere, and contribute to the greenhouse effect

exempt — adj. not required to do something that others are required to do

category — n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way

net-zero — adj. when a country, city, etc. removes as many emissions as it produces

loophole — n. an error in the way a law, rule, or contract is written that makes it possible for some people to legally avoid obeying it

1 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

2 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

4 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。

5 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

6 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。

7 exempted   

使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His bad eyesight exempted him from military service. 他因视力不好而免服兵役。
• Her illness exempted her from the examination. 她因病而免试。

8 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。

9 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

10 gaseous   

adj.气体的，气态的

参考例句：

• Air whether in the gaseous or liquid state is a fluid.空气，无论是气态的或是液态的，都是一种流体。
• Freon exists both in liquid and gaseous states.氟利昂有液态和气态两种形态。

11 infrared   

adj./n.红外线(的)

参考例句：

• Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
• Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。