VOA标准英语2008年-G8 Agrees to Cut Carbon Emissions by Half

Leaders of the world's advanced economies have committed to a long-term goal of slashing¹ their emissions² of carbon blamed for global warming. Officials say the plan is a first step toward building consensus³ but activist⁴ groups and at least one African leader say the declaration is empty. VOA's Kurt Achin has more from northern Japan, where the leaders are gathering⁵.
　
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (l) shakes hands with U.S. President George W. Bush (r) during the working session of the G8 summit, in Toyako on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, 08 Jul 2008

After a working lunch of the so-called "G8" leaders in Toyako, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced a new long-term goal on the issue of global climate change.

He says the G8 countries have agreed to cut their carbon emissions in half by the year 2050.

The goal is the highlight of an 18-point declaration the leaders released during the second day of their three-day summit.

Within hours, South Africa's environment minister criticized the statement as an "empty slogan" for its lack of specifics. The statement is also getting a chilly⁶ reception from environmental activists⁷ like Ben Wikler, of the group Avaaz.org.

"The G8 countries blew it," said Wikler. "The language the G8 countries used to describe their vision could not have been murkier⁸."

Several key elements of the G8 climate goals have been left open to interpretation⁹ by member countries. The 50-percent reduction is not indexed to any specific base year. Members can choose to halve¹⁰ their emissions based on this year's levels, or based on a more ambitious 1990 pollution level.
　
G8 leaders pose for official group photo at summit, in Toyako, Hokkaido, 08 Jul 2008

The agreement also leaves out any specific mention of targets for medium or short-term carbon-emission reductions, instead urging members to formulate¹¹ such goals on a nation-by-nation basis.

The director-general for Global Issues with Japan's Foreign Ministry¹², Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka, briefed reporters on Tuesday's discussion among the leaders. He says the agreement is designed to be broad, and legally non-binding.

"This is more of a political vision," said Tsuruoka. "The G8 as a whole is trying to engage the rest of the world."

Specifically, the leaders hope to engage major emerging economies like China and India. Experts fear their booming growth will be accompanied by sharp rises in carbon emissions. Several G8 leaders, including President Bush, have said any climate agreement without emerging economies on board is destined¹³ to fail.

G8 leaders say they will discuss the climate goals with leaders of emerging powers in meetings scheduled for Wednesday. Their talks are expected to set a framework for a U.N.-led gathering next year that aims for a global agreement on climate change.

 

1 slashing   

adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
• He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手，不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

6 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

7 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》

8 murkier   

adj.阴暗的( murky的比较级 )；昏暗的；（指水）脏的；混浊的

参考例句：

• If not, the outcome may be a lot murkier. 而如不然，结果可能就会更加含糊不清。 来自互联网
• This leads us into the murkier areas of human behaviour. 这让我们看到了人类行为较阴暗的领域。 来自互联网

9 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

10 halve   

vt.分成两半，平分；减少到一半

参考例句：

• Let's halve the project between our two teams.让我们两个队平均分担这项工程吧。
• I'll halve expenses with you.我要跟你平均分摊费用。

11 formulate   

v.用公式表示；规划；设计；系统地阐述

参考例句：

• He took care to formulate his reply very clearly.他字斟句酌，清楚地做了回答。
• I was impressed by the way he could formulate his ideas.他陈述观点的方式让我印象深刻。

12 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

13 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。