VOA常速英语2019--垃圾污染问题已成全球化问题

An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic pour into the oceans every year, amounting to the equivalent of one garbage truck every minute, USAID Counselor¹ Chris Milligan told a crowd at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., this week.

据估测，每年有800万公吨的塑料垃圾倒入海洋，相当于每分钟就产生一卡车的，美国国际开发署（USAID）参事克里斯·米利根本周在华盛顿特区的威尔逊中心发表了讲话。

There are now five massive patches of floating garbage in the world’s oceans. We found microplastics in the Arctic Sea ice, at the most remote stretches of islands in the Pacific and in the deepest ocean trenches².

目前，世界各地的海洋中有5大块漂浮垃圾区。我们发现，我们发现，北冰洋冰层中的塑料微粒出现在了太平洋最遥远的岛上以及最深处的海沟中。

Most ocean plastic comes from land-based sources, said Counselor Milligan:

大多数海洋塑料垃圾都来自于陆地，参事克里斯·米利根表示：

An enormous amount comes from cities in the developing world which cannot adequately manage their waste. This includes a number of cities in the rapidly urbanizing countries of South and Southeast Asia… Ocean plastic waste is a global problem, but waste management is a local issue.

其中大量垃圾来自于发展中国家的城市，因为他们无法恰当地处理垃圾。其中也有许多城市位于快速城镇化的南亚和东南亚……海洋塑料垃圾是全球性问题，但垃圾治理是地方问题。

That is why USAID has joined forces with Circulate Capital, a firm dedicated³ to incubating and financing companies and infrastructure⁴ that prevent ocean plastic pollution. The firm’s funding is backed by $100 million in commitments from numerous multinational⁵ corporations including PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Dow, Danone, Unilever, and Coca-Cola. In what is called a Blended Finance Agreement, USAID will provide Circulate Capital with a $35 million, 50 percent loan-portfolio guarantee.

正因如此，USAID与循环资本合作，循环资本是一家公司，致力于担任孵化器的角色，为其他公司提供资金和基础设施，阻止海洋垃圾污染。该公司的资金来源有1亿美元是多家跨国公司提供的，包括百事可乐公司、宝洁公司、陶氏公司、法国达能集团、联合利华、可口可乐公司。在混合融资协议中，USAID将提供循环资本3500万美元，50%的贷款组合担保。

This will help lessen⁶ risk for private investors⁷ and incentivize private capital investment and new business development in recycling, trash collection, and related businesses in Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. This program will create a new recycling market in these countries, making plastics too valuable to dump into the ocean.

这有助于降低散户的风险，刺激资本投资和新商业开发，领域涉及垃圾回收、垃圾收集以及一些国家的相关业务，如印尼、菲律宾、斯里兰卡、越南。该项目将在这些国家打造一个新的回收市场，让塑料提高价值，人们舍不得倒入海里。

Our goal, said Counselor Milligan, is to promote a partner’s self-reliance so that they can participate in the world economy as equals and join us in addressing global challenges.

米利根表示，我们的目标是促进伙伴的自力更生，这样一来，他们就能以平等身份参与到世界经济中，并加入我们应对全球性挑战。

1 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

2 trenches   

深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕

参考例句：

• life in the trenches 第一次世界大战期间的战壕生活
• The troops stormed the enemy's trenches and fanned out across the fields. 部队猛攻敌人的战壕，并在田野上呈扇形散开。

3 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

4 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。

5 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

6 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

7 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会