VOA标准英语2009-China Unveils Emissions Target Ahead of Glob

The emissions¹ target follows a similar announcement by the Obama administration ahead of next month's U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Michael Bowman | Washington 26 November 2009

China says it will work to constrain² carbon dioxide emissions believed to contribute to global warming. The emissions target follows a similar announcement by the Obama administration ahead of next month's U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen.

China's State Council says China will trim its "carbon intensity³" 40 to 45 percent by the year 2020 as compared to 2005 levels. Carbon intensity is defined as the amount of greenhouse gases emitted for each unit of nation income.

By linking the goal to its gross national product rather than setting an absolute emissions target, China - the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases - may actually see its total emissions increase over the next decade, even if it meets the voluntary target. China's economy, one of the world's fastest-growing, is expected to continue to expand at a robust⁴ pace.

China has acknowledged the need to limit its carbon emissions, but argued that greater responsibility falls on advanced industrialized nations like the United States, which produced large quantities of greenhouse gases for decades before China's rise as a global economic power.

Wednesday, China's envoy⁵ on climate change negotiation⁶, Yu Qingtai, placed blame for current global warming trends squarely on developed nations.

The envoy said developed nations should take "serious action" to remain true to their words in solving the [climate change] problem they caused.

Beijing's announcement comes one day after the United States became the last of several industrialized countries to commit to cutting carbon emissions. The White House says President Barack Obama will attend next month's climate change summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, and will make a provisional pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

Mr. Obama as been pushing China and India to commit to reducing emmissions before the summit in Copenhagen. Earlier this week, the president and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unveiled what they called a "green partnership," affirming their commitment to fighting climate change.

The administration's announcement was welcomed by U.N. climate officials. The target pledges by the world's top-two carbon emitters are seen as hopeful signs for progress at Copenhagen, although a final package for global greenhouse gas reduction remains⁷ in doubt.

1 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。

2 constrain   

vt.限制，约束；克制，抑制

参考例句：

• She tried to constrain herself from a cough in class.上课时她竭力忍住不咳嗽。
• The study will examine the factors which constrain local economic growth.这项研究将考查抑制当地经济发展的因素。

3 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

4 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。