VOA标准英语2011--Putting Planet First in Climate Change Talks

Putting Planet First in Climate Change Talks

 

气候变化会议把关爱地球放在首位

At the U.N. climate change conference in Durban, South Africa, there’s a call to view the issue as a moral imperative¹. The man who’s called South Africa’s green bishop² says caring for the earth should take priority.

在南非德班的联合国气候变化会议上,有一种呼吁要求用道德标准看待这个问题。一位被称为南非绿色主教的人士表示应该把关爱地球放在首位。

"Climate change is a moral issue and it must be met by the moral principles of justice, equity³, compassion⁴, love. And that we’ve got to really realize, that we’ve got to put the wellbeing of the planet and people before our financial considerations,” said retired⁵ Anglican Bishop Geoff Davies, coordinator⁶ of the Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute.

“气候变化是一个道德问题，必须满足公正，公平，同情及关爱的道德原则。并且我们需要真正的认识到自己必须把家园和居住在这颗行星上的人们当作考量财务问题之前的头等大事。”退役的圣公会大主教杰夫•戴维斯说道，他同时也是南非信仰社区环境学院的协调员。

Worse on the continent

The United Nations reports no other continent will be struck by climate change as severely⁷ as Africa. The global forecast calls for a two degree Celsius⁸ rise in temperatures in the coming years. But the U.N. says they could rise higher in Africa – possibly three degrees Celsius or more by 2050. Dryer⁹ subtropical regions could warm more than wetter areas.

据联合国报道，其他大陆不会像非洲那样受到严重的气候变化影响。全球预报预测非洲在未来几年会上升2摄氏度的温度。但联合国表示温度还有可能还会上升更高，可能到2050年3摄氏度或更多。更干燥的亚热带地区会比湿润地区热很多。

“We in Africa are particularly concerned because the scientists are now saying that African average temperatures will increase twice as much as the global average. Already our temperatures have gone up 0.8 and we know the huge disruption of climate change already,” said Davies.

“在非洲的我们特别关注,因为科学家们现在表示非洲平均气温将增加到全球平均水平的2倍。现在我们的温度已经上升0.8，而且我们知道气候变化已经带来巨大的破坏。”戴维斯说道。

Cut emissions¹⁰ now

People walk with a coffin11 as they protest against the usage of coal during a climate change conference at the city of Durban, South Africa, Thursday, Dec 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

He said if African temperatures do increase by twice the global average the effects will be “catastrophic.” He called on the world’s major polluters to take strong measures now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

他表示如果非洲温度提高至全球平均水平的两倍，其后果会是“灾难性的”。他呼吁世界主要污染大国现在应马上采取有力措施,尽量减少温室气体的排放。

“For the United States to say, well, we’ll start reducing emissions in a few years’ time – that’s millions of tons of carbon that will still be poured into the atmosphere for the next 100 years. We can’t bring that carbon back here. But we equally challenge the new polluting countries – China, India, ourselves, South Africa,” he said.

“对美国而言，他们说，好吧，近几年内，我们将会开始减少温室气体排放——而今后的100年内，几百万吨的碳仍会涌入到大气当中。我们无法阻止碳排放。但我们同样挑战着一些新兴的污染国家，包括中国，印度及我们南非自己。”他说道。

On Tuesday, the U.S. envoy¹² to the climate talks, Todd Stern, said one of the big issues is China’s position on a legally binding¹³ agreement. He said the United States would consider such an agreement if all major greenhouse gas-emitting countries are fairly subject to its conditions.

在星期二,美国气候会谈特使托德•斯特里表示,比较大的问题是中国的立场处于法律约束的协议中。他说,美国将考虑这样一个协议是否对所有主要国家的温室排放都公平适用。

Bishop Davies said developed nations can help Africa overcome its dependency on fossil fuels.

戴维斯主教表示发达国家能帮助非洲克服其依赖矿物燃料的问题。

“The developed world can assist the developing countries - and I speak particularly for Africa - can assist us with technical cooperation and financial support that is owed to Africa to enable us to leapfrog the dirty fossil fuel era into the new solar and renewable energy era,” he said.

“发达国家能帮助发展中国家,特别是非洲——它们可以在技术合作和财政支持上拉我们一把，使我们肮脏的化石燃料时代进入新的太阳能和可再生能源的时代。”他语重心长的说道。

Bishop Davies spoke¹⁴ on behalf of the Climate Action Network International, which represents over 700 organizations in 95 countries. Its members are monitoring the proceedings¹⁵ at the climate change conference.

戴维斯主教代表着气候措施国际网络,它包含95个国家的700多个组织。这个组织专门负责监测气候变化会议上的进行。

1 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

2 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

3 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

4 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

5 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

6 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

7 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

8 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。

9 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

10 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。

11 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

12 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。

13 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。

14 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

15 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼