2006年VOA标准英语-World Bank Pushes Financial Incentives Plan to

By Paul Sisco
Washington, DC
27 October 2006
 
watch Deforestation report

 
Deforestation, an ongoing¹ problem, is receiving new scrutiny², this time from the World Bank. It is all part of the bank's mission to reduce global poverty by spurring economic growth and protecting the environment  

There is no letup in the destruction of the world's forests.  They are being destroyed by five percent a decade, endangering plant and animal species, making people poorer, and wreaking³ havoc⁴ on the global environment.  At the World Bank in Washington this week, a team of researchers released a detailed⁵ policy report on ways to deal with the problem. 

 
Ken⁶ Chomitz
Research team leader Ken Chomitz says the forests are in poor condition. "It's about forest poverty. It's about the 800 million people who live in these forests and wetlands and depend on them to a large extent, for their livelihood⁷ and welfare, and it's about tropical deforestation which proceeds unabated; an area the size of Portugal lost every year."

Deforestation presents a host of problems.  Chief among them, forest destruction contributes 20 percent of each year's global carbon dioxide emissions⁸, …. twice that of the world's cars and trucks.  Simply put, trees and plants store carbon, which otherwise is emitted as the "greenhouse gas" carbon dioxide -- spurring global warming, and seriously threatening biodiversity.

The report discusses the need for strong global carbon exchange markets as a important partial solution, ...  one where wealthier nations finance the offsetting⁹ of carbon emissions by supporting the natural forests that store them. 

"The problem is it takes collective action, it takes collective action, on the global level to sort out how we are going to do this in a way that is fair and safe and equitable¹⁰.  That's a big challenge but with gains that large perhaps we can set our minds to, to do it."

The researchers believe pressure on the world's forests can and will ease when strong financial incentives¹¹ on the national and international level are put in place.Research team leader Ken Chomitz says the forests are in poor condition. "It's about forest poverty. It's about the 800 million people who live in these forests and wetlands and depend on them to a large extent, for their livelihood and welfare, and it's about tropical deforestation which proceeds unabated; an area the size of Portugal lost every year."

Deforestation presents a host of problems.  Chief among them, forest destruction contributes 20 percent of each year's global carbon dioxide emissions, …. twice that of the world's cars and trucks.  Simply put, trees and plants store carbon, which otherwise is emitted as the "greenhouse gas" carbon dioxide -- spurring global warming, and seriously threatening biodiversity.

The report discusses the need for strong global carbon exchange markets as a important partial solution, ...  one where wealthier nations finance the offsetting of carbon emissions by supporting the natural forests that store them. 

"The problem is it takes collective action, it takes collective action, on the global level to sort out how we are going to do this in a way that is fair and safe and equitable.  That's a big challenge but with gains that large perhaps we can set our minds to, to do it."

The researchers believe pressure on the world's forests can and will ease when strong financial incentives on the national and international level are put in place.

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

3 wreaking   

诉诸（武力），施行（暴力），发（脾气）( wreak的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Coal mining is a messy business, often wreaking terrible environmental damage nearby. 采矿是肮脏的行业，往往会严重破坏周边环境。
• The floods are wreaking havoc in low-lying areas. 洪水正在地势低洼地区肆虐。

4 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

5 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

6 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

7 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

8 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。

9 offsetting   

n.偏置法v.抵消( offset的现在分词 )；补偿；（为了比较的目的而）把…并列（或并置）；为（管道等）装支管

参考例句：

• Dealers, having concluded a forward contract, should always hedge with an offsetting contract. 外汇经营商在签订了一项远期合同之后总是应进行套头交易签订一项相抵合同。 来自辞典例句
• Where does Germany think offsetting shifts into greater external deficits might occur? 在德国看来，这么大的外部赤字应该转移到哪里？ 来自互联网

10 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

11 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法