2007年VOA标准英语-Group Says World Has Tools To Curb Climate Chan

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
15 May 2007

A new report says that the world has more than enough sustainable energy and technology to curb¹ climate change. But the group that issued the report, the World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF, warns key decisions have to be made within the next five years to prevent irreversible damage. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

The report says there are environmentally safe ways to avoid the dangerous effects of climate change simply by using technologies that are available today.

But the international director of the WWF, James Leape, tells VOA action must be taken quickly. He believes disastrous² climate changes can be prevented only if governments act within the next five years to implement³ solutions.

"It is possible for us to begin, if we take bold action now, to begin to see total global emissions⁴ peak and to begin to come down within the next 10 years. That is what needs to happen. What that requires from countries like the United States is a very aggressive investment in energy efficiency, to get much more out of the energy we do use and a very aggressive investment in developing renewable sources of energy as well as carbon …storage. If we do that now, not six or eight or 10 years from now, but now, we can actually begin to turn the corner in the next decade," said Leape.

The WWF report maps out a path for meeting the challenge of climate change. It says there is no one solution. Rather action has to be taken on multiple fronts.

This includes the development of greater energy efficiency policies and the expansion of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. It also calls for the capture of carbon emitted by burning fossil fuels and storing it underground so it does not contribute to climate change.

The report says bio-fuels can, potentially, play a significant role. But they have to be managed so they are sustainable. For example, Leape says the aggressive development of corn offers little benefit for the climate because too much carbon is produced in the course of producing ethanol. And he says there are two other reasons to be cautious about biofuels.

"A second is that they can have serious environmental consequences. The demand for some bio-fuels threatens to drive greatly expanded rain forest clearing for example. And, a third problem is that … the demand for bio-fuels may compete with demand for food and cause problems of food security around the world. So, we need to be thoughtful about bio-fuels," said Leape.

The WWF report is opposed to the expansion of nuclear power as a solution for climate change. It says concerns about plant safety, waste disposal and the possible proliferation of nuclear technology are risks too great to take.

It also says nuclear power would divert resources from much more promising⁵ and cost-effective solutions, such as renewable technologies.

1 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。

2 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

3 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

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 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。