VOA标准英语2009年-UN says Reducing Disaster Risks Helps

The United Nations says reducing risks from weather-related disasters such as floods and droughts can help nations adapt to climate change.

Geneva   03 December 2009

Margareta Wahlstrom, Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (file)

"If nothing is done about global warming, the agricultural output in many countries would drop ," said UN official Margareta Wahlstrom.

The United Nations says reducing risks from weather-related disasters such as floods and droughts can help nations adapt to climate change.  The United Nations is urging greater action to reduce climate-related risk and vulnerabilities through measures such as early warning.

Scientists predict global warming will lead to more intense and frequent extreme weather events, including storms, high rainfalls, floods, droughts and heat waves.

They say the poorest countries and poor people in wealthy countries will suffer first and most, because they have few means to adapt to increasing disasters brought on by climate change. 

Margareta Wahlstrom is Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.  She says nations will make a serious error if they do not take urgent action.

"The disasters are there.  There are more of them.  More people are affected¹," Wahlstrom said. "It is costing more money.  It is having longer term effects on poverty and on peoples' ability to generate even minimal² wealth for improving their lives.

In any given year, Wahlstrom says at least 70 percent of natural disasters are created by climate and weather.  For example, she says too much water, which results in severe flooding or too little water, which causes drought, spell disaster for millions of people worldwide.

She notes one billion people live under the poverty line.  She says studies show an increase of temperature of plus two degrees could plunge³ another 400 million into poverty within the next 20 or 30 years.

"If nothing is done about global warming, the agricultural output in many countries would drop ...  It could drop by 25 percent in some of the main wheat-growing and rice-growing countries today ...  That would have a huge impact on livelihood⁴, nutrition and food security issues," Wahlstrom said.  

All regions of the world will be affected by global warming.  The United Nations reports Africa is one of the continents most vulnerable to climate change and least able to adapt to future disasters.  It says drought will be the main issue for Africa.

In Asia, one of the biggest problems will be the availability of fresh water.  In North America, scientists predict rising temperatures will further reduce mountain snow and increase evaporation⁵, changing the seasonal⁶ availability of water.

Wahlstrom says there are concrete solutions, which can enable countries to adapt to climate change.   For example, she says measures can be taken to conserve⁷ water in agriculture.

"There are well tested methods of much more water sensitive agriculture-it is drip irrigation," Wahlstrom said. "It is classical watershed⁸ management schemes.  It is reusing water instead of consuming water ...  Critical infrastructure⁹ is another area that you have to look at ...  You should know your environment.  If your bridge is taken away by floods one year, you can firmly expect it is going to happen again, so do not rebuild it in the same place."  

In January 2005, 168 governments met in Kobe, Japan and agreed on a 10-year plan of action for reducing disaster risks.  This includes actions to reduce climate related risk and vulnerabilities through early warning, education, public awareness¹⁰, as well as better urban and land use planning measures.

Wahlstrom says the plan also calls for the integration¹¹ of risk reduction and climate change adaptation strategies.

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

3 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

4 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

5 evaporation   

n.蒸发，消失

参考例句：

• Be careful not to lose too much liquid by evaporation.小心不要因蒸发失去太多水分。
• Our bodies can sweat,thereby losing heat by evaporation.我们的身体能出汗，由此可以蒸发散热。

6 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

7 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

8 watershed   

n.转折点，分水岭，分界线

参考例句：

• Our marriage was at a watershed.我们的婚姻到了一个转折关头。
• It forms the watershed between the two rivers.它成了两条河流的分水岭。

9 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

10 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

11 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。