VOA标准英语2009年-Negotiators Try to Narrow Differences Befo

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
02 November 2009

Negotiators from nearly 180 countries are meeting this week in Barcelona to narrow their differences over issues regarding climate change before a key December summit in Copenhagen.

Climate change negotiators are trying to come up with a workable draft document to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol¹. Countries will be discussing that draft - and hopefully coming to an agreement - at a summit in Copenhagen next month. But reaching a deal will not be easy.

Even now, after months of talks, negotiators are still wrangling² over a raft of competing proposals. A key question is whether to set binding³ targets for developing countries to reduce their levels of carbon dioxide emissions⁵. The United States in particular, wants legally binding pledges for the fastest growing countries in this group - such as China and India.

The United Nations, by contrast, has suggested that only richer nations commit themselves to targeted greenhouse gas reductions. Poorer nations could instead agree to adopt green energy and other measures to limit emission⁴ growth.

A number of environmental activists⁶ doubt the Copenhagen summit will achieve binding emission reduction targets. The environmental group Greenpeace unfurled a banner on top of a key Barcelona landmark⁷ - the Sagrada Familia basilica - urging world leaders to act.

Joseph Zacune, international climate change negotiator for the NGO Friends of the Earth, is also pessimistic about Copenhagen. Zacune is attending the Barcelona meeting.

"The trajectory⁸ is very negative. It's paving the way for us to see either a weak and damaging deal in Copenhagen or a delayed, weak and damaging deal later in the year, in 2010," he said.

The talks come just days after European Union leaders agreed that richer nations should pay tens of billions of dollars to help poorer ones adapt to climate change. But the European Union did not set an amount for its own contribution - and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the bloc⁹ was awaiting action from others.

"Our offers are not a blank check. We are ready to act if our partners to deliver," he said.

Meanwhile, the French government is floating a proposal for rich countries to fund renewable energy projects in the world's poorest countries. But Zacune of Friends of the Earth says he is again waiting for specific funding commitments.

 

1 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

2 wrangling   

v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The two sides have spent most of their time wrangling over procedural problems. 双方大部分时间都在围绕程序问题争论不休。 来自辞典例句
• The children were wrangling (with each other) over the new toy. 孩子为新玩具（互相）争吵。 来自辞典例句

3 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

4 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

5 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。

6 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》

7 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

8 trajectory   

n.弹道，轨道

参考例句：

• It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
• The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。

9 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。