VOA标准英语2009年-G8 Summit in Italy Ends With Food Aid Pled

Leaders of the G8 developed nations wound up talks in Italy Friday with a pledge of $20 billion to boost food supplies in poor nations. Commitments to food security and to stem global warming were among the highlights of the meeting.
　
US President Barack Obama speaks during press conference at roup of Eight (G8) summit in L'Aquila, Italy, 10 Jul 2009

U.S. President Barack Obama said this was a summit of consensus¹ - on dealing² with the global economic crisis, climate change, on nuclear non-proliferation, on Iran - and a pledge to help achieve food security for the poorest countries.

"We have committed $20 billion in food security, agricultural development programs to help fight world hunger. This is in addition to emergency humanitarian³ aid that we provide," he said.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization welcomed the announcement, as an "encouraging policy shift to help the poor and hungry.

Many international aid organizations are cautiously positive. Development activist⁴ Kumi Naido of the Global Campaign Against Hunger, remains⁵ skeptical⁶ until more details of the plan become clear.

"We would see this as a belated small step in the right direction. How much of it is in the right direction will depend on the details because one of the favorite pastimes of the G8 is recycling old commitments and one of the things our researchers are looking at now is whether this is in fact a restating of old commitments," said Naido.

Aid organizations have been calling on the G8 to live up to past pledges of food and development assistance.
　
U.S. President Barack Obama (L) talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (R) prior to a meeting of the G8 and participating African countries in L'Aquila, in central Italy, 10 Jul 2009

The L'Aquila summit also focused on climate change. G8 leaders and partners from major emerging economies, including India, China and Brazil, agreed that global temperatures should not rise by more than an average of two degrees Celsius⁷ above pre-industrial levels.

G8 members also pledged to work toward an 80 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions⁸ by the year 2050. While developing nations have committed themselves to negotiating cuts, they have not yet agreed on specifics.

President Obama called it a historic consensus, but acknowledged it was only a first step with major work still ahead.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the 2050 targets are too far in the future and that more needs to be done sooner. Many aid and environmental groups also say progress is too little and too slow.

Meredith Alexander of the international group, ActionAid, says developed nations can and should do more.

"It's nice that they referenced the 2-degree figure in their statement, but it's really not enough. G8 leaders and other rich countries need to be putting more money on the table and they need to be accepting much deeper cuts," said Alexander.
　
US President Obama shares a word with French President Sarkozy during group photo of G8 and G5 leaders in L'Aquila, Italy, 09 Jul 2009

This G8 summit took place, not in a major world capital or plush resort, but rather in central Italy, in an area devastated⁹ by a powerful earthquake just three months ago, in which nearly 300 people were killed. Many of the world leaders visited some of the worst hit areas.

And, there was much talk about the continued relevance¹⁰ of the G8 - a group originally established in 1975 to include then the world's six most developed economies. Some of the leaders here in L'Aquila, including President Obama agreed that other nations must be brought in and reforms made. Many say it has become evident that while the G8 still represents some of the world's most powerful countries, they alone cannot solve global problems - not without the help of others.

1 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？

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

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 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。

6 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

7 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

8 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。

9 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

10 relevance   

n.中肯，适当，关联，相关性

参考例句：

• Politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public roles.政治家的私生活与他们的公众角色不相关。
• Her ideas have lost all relevance to the modern world.她的想法与现代社会完全脱节。