VOA标准英语2009-Scientists Discuss Climate Change at World Ocean

Scientists and politicians have gathered in the Indonesian city of Manado for the World Ocean Conference. They are discussing the role of oceans in mitigating¹ climate change and how climate change affects the world's seas, but their efforts are hampered² by a lack of knowledge about the oceans.
　
Diver swims near coral reefs teeming³ with fishes in the water off Komodo island, Indonesia, 30 May 2009

The Manado conference is a first of its kind, and Jacqueline Adler, from the United Nations body for the environment, UNEP, says it is long due.

"This represents a milestone⁴ for me; the governments, hopefully, will make a commitment to insuring that what we should've been doing for the last 20 years, start to be taking seriously and invested in," said Adler.

Because of their currents, oceans are the prime maker⁵ of climate. Life below the sea absorbs a quarter of all the carbon man releases in the atmosphere. However, Richard Spinard, a scientist from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric⁶ Administration, says that little is known about the oceans, because the technology to study it is relatively⁷ new.

"It's only in the last couple of years that we've had the same sort of density⁸ of observations of even things like temperature at the surface of the oceans as we've had on land for many, many decades," said Spinard. "You can't diagnose the patient unless you make the observation of the fundamental life parameters⁹: pulse, blood oxygen, that's the same kind of thing for the oceans."

Scientists are sure of one thing: pollution makes it more difficult for the oceans to fulfill¹⁰ their role in regulating climate. Tony Haymet, a scientist from the University of California San Diego, says that keeping them healthy is a first step to take, and must be done quickly.

"We know enough to know we have to stop putting CO2 into the atmosphere and therefore have it dissolve in the oceans," he said. "Do we know enough to know how much time we have before the situation becomes critical? I think the answer is no. So there are important things about the oceans that we don't understand. But that's not a reason for delay, it's a reason for taking action."

By learning more about how the oceans work, scientists around the world hope to help reduce global warming and to ease its effects. Warmer global temperatures are thought to be linked to emissions¹¹ of green-house gases, such as carbon dioxide. One of the biggest sources of those gases is the burning of oil and coal.

The conference participants are looking forward to another event - the United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen next December. The delegates to that meeting hope to lay the foundation for an agreement to replace the Kyoto protocol¹² on reducing carbon emissions and coping with climate change. Manado is seen as a first step toward taking oceans into account in the fight against climate change.

1 mitigating   

v.减轻，缓和( mitigate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Are there any mitigating circumstances in this case ? 本案中是否有任何情况可以减轻被告的罪行？ 来自辞典例句
• A sentencing judge is required to consider any mitigating circumstances befor imposing the death penalty. 在处死刑之前，要求量刑法官必须考虑是否有任何减轻罪行之情节。 来自口语例句

2 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

3 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

4 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

5 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

6 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

7 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

8 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

9 parameters   

因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素

参考例句：

• We have to work within the parameters of time. 我们的工作受时间所限。
• See parameters.cpp for a compilable example. This is part of the Spirit distribution. 可编译例子见parameters.cpp.这是Spirit分发包的组成部分。

10 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

11 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。

12 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。