VOA常速英语2007年-Experts Say Illegal Logging Contributes Signifi

By Chad Bouchard
Bali
05 December 2007

Environmental experts at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali say illegal logging is decimating tropical forests and contributing to rising global temperatures. Chad Bouchard reports from the conference.

United Nations officials estimate the world loses an estimated 13 million hectares of forest every year.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference has drawn¹ thousands of scientists, government officials and development activists² to Bali to discuss climate change. Most environmental scientists think human activities, such as excessive greenhouse gas emissions³, contribute to global warming.

Climate scientists say deforestation contributes to more than 17 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, nearly as much as the entire transportation sector⁴ worldwide.

And experts say most of the tropical forests being lost are illegally logged.

The Indonesian government estimates that it loses up to $5.5 billion a year from illegal logging - 80 percent of its forest losses.

Jago Wadley, who works in the Indonesian province of Papua with the Environmental Investigation⁵ Agency, an independent organization, says developed nations should ban illegal timber imports.

"After 10 years of discussions on the illegal timber trade, and very high level commitments and pledges from Western and other leaders to address the impacts their market have on deforestation and illegal logging around the world, nothing has yet happened, and no country on earth has, as of yet, banned illegal timber," said Wadley.

But Mauro Armaelin with the WWF conservation group says a ban on illegal logging would not be enough to curb⁶ the hunger for high-priced timber.

"To solve this problem is not, we don't have one, only one solution. It doesn't exist, a magic solution for this. If we work with the market, we solve part of the problem," said Armaelin.

Armaelin says wealthy countries need to help the developing world to manage and secure forests to prevent illegal and legal loggers from damaging the environment.

Environmental experts say deforestation contributes to greenhouse gas buildups in two ways: First, the trees are no long there to absorb gases from other sources, and second, the soil exposed by logging can begin to oxidize and emit gases. In addition, deforestation can ruin farmland, contribute to soil erosion and flooding, and destroy wildlife habitats.

Among other ideas being discussed at the conference are proposals to have rich countries pay poor countries to maintain their forests.

Wulf Killmann, the director of the Forest Products and Industries Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization's Forestry⁷ Department, says illegal loggers damage the forests, though it is difficult to measure the overall effect.

"But unfortunately, it's difficult to have figures on illegality. There are unfortunately not yet statistics," said Killmann. "Since you do not have figures you can not put a figure to the forest degradation⁸ and so the greenhouse gas emissions side of illegal logging."

Climate scientists say Indonesia and Brazil are the third and fourth largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world largely due to deforestation. China and the United States are the leading emitters, largely from burning carbon-based fuels such as coal and oil.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is continues through the end of next week.

1 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

7 forestry   

n.森林学；林业

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。
• Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。

8 degradation   

n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变

参考例句：

• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。
• Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。