VOA标准英语2008年-Study Says Environmental Factors Shaping New Gl

By Zulima Palacio
Washington
11 January 2008
 

A new study says that environmental and social issues are shaping a new sustainable, global economy. The private environmental group, Worldwatch Institute in Washington, conducted the study. Producer Zulima Palacio and Jim Bertel tell us about it.

Worldwatch Institute says in its State of the World 2008 report that investors¹ and economic trends are responding to climate change and other environmental problems. And it says the emergence² of a new green or sustainable economy could represent a dramatic transformation³ of the economic system. 

"What we've seen so far is probably no more than 2-3 percent of what ultimately needs to happen.  An example of that is that we have extraordinarily⁴ growth rates in the renewable energy technologies, generally in the 30-40 percent per year range,” said Chris Flavin, Worldwatch Institute president. 

Flavin says new, sustainable development in energy, agriculture, building construction and automobile⁵ manufacturing amounts to billions of dollars in economic change. 

The Worldwatch report estimates that in 2006, investment in renewable energy amounted to nearly $52 billion.  It also highlights that some of the most powerful players in today's economy, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Wal-Mart, have announced new environmental initiatives.

State of the World 2008 cites two major economic studies on the potential damage from global climate change - one produced by the World Economic Forum⁶ and the other for the British government.

"Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist⁷ for the World Bank in his report for the British government last year, estimated that the total economic damage could be as much as eight percent of the total gross world product,” says Flavin.  “And he really described climate change as being arguably the biggest threat facing the global economy in the 21st century," he said.

Gary Gardner, co-director of the report at the Worldwatch Institute, says, "Another example is in terms of oceanic fisheries where 11 of the 15 major fishing areas in the world today are fished at or beyond their capacity. They will have to back off to allow environmental recovery."

Worldwatch's annual report notes there are now nearly 600 environmental and energy funds in existence, as well as multimillion venture investments into clean technology, renewable energy and pioneering enterprises.

It also says that 54 banks, representing 85 percent of the global financing capability⁸, have endorsed⁹ a set of environmental and socially friendly international standards known as the Equator Principles.

Gary Gardner says today's trends on venture capital and investments are revealing. "Renewable energy is the third largest category after information technology and pharmaceuticals¹⁰ for venture capital to be putting money into."

Worldwatch Institute says that to avoid global economic collapse¹¹, governments and investors must continue efforts towards a sustainable economy. 

1 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

2 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

3 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

4 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

5 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

6 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

7 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

8 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

9 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 pharmaceuticals   

n.医药品；药物( pharmaceutical的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the development of new pharmaceuticals 新药的开发
• The companies are pouring trillions of yen into biotechnology research,especially for pharmaceuticals and new seeds. 这些公司将大量资金投入生物工艺学研究，尤其是药品和新种子方面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。