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VOA慢速英语:美国2018年碳排放有所增长

所属教程:Technology Report

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2019年01月14日

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US Carbon Emissions Rise in 2018 Because of Industry, Fuel Demand

美国2018年碳排放有所增长

After falling for three years, carbon emissions in the United States rose in 2018.

经过三年的下降,美国的碳排放量在2018年有所上升。

That information is based on early estimates from an independent research group.

这一信息是基于一家独立研究组织早前的估计。

The Rhodium Group studies U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide, a gas linked to rising temperatures in Earth's atmosphere. Its new report estimates that the country's carbon emissions increased 3.4 percent last year. This would be the largest yearly increase since 2010, when the nation was recovering from a financial crisis known as Great Recession.

荣鼎咨询公司研究美国排放的二氧化碳,这是一种与地球大气温度升高有关的气体。该公司的新报告估计,美国去年的碳排放量增加了3.4%,这将是2010年以来最大的年度增幅,当时美国正从一场名为“大衰退”的金融危机中复苏。

The research also suggests that the American coal industry continues to struggle because of low-cost, plentiful natural gas.

该研究还表明,由于成本低廉、蕴含丰富的天然气,美国煤炭工业继续面临挣扎。

Bad news for coal

煤炭业坏消息

The Rhodium Group reports that coal-fired power stations that produced a total of 11.2 gigawatts of power had closed by last October. Even more were expected to have closed over the following months. If confirmed, that would make 2018 the biggest coal plant closure year on record.

荣鼎咨询公司报告称,截至去年10月已经关闭了总产能为11.2千兆瓦的煤电厂。预计未来数月会有更多煤电厂关闭。如果得到确认,这将使得2018年成为有史以来关闭煤电厂最多的年份。

Natural gas is now by far the energy of choice in the United States. The report credited gas for an increase of 166 million kilowatts an hour through October.

天然气现在是美国的首选能源。该报告将整个10月份增长的1.66亿千瓦时电力归功于天然气。

American power consumption - and carbon emissions - increased in 2018. The transportation industry was largely responsible for the nation's record emissions.

美国的电力消耗和碳排放在2018年都有所增长。运输业是该国创纪录排放的主要因素。

Demand for gasoline -- the fuel used in most motor vehicles -- decreased. But increases in the demand for other fuel, such as diesel and jet fuel, made transportation the industry most responsible for U.S. carbon emissions.

大部分汽车使用的汽油燃料的需求有所降低,但是对柴油和航空燃油等燃料的需求有所增长。这使得运输成为美国碳排放最主要的行业。

The report said another big producer of carbon emissions is the construction industry. Emissions from buildings and homes also were up last year, partly because of very cold winter weather in parts of the country.

该报告称,另一项碳排放大户是建筑业。去年建筑物和住房的碳排放也有所上升,部分原因是该国部分地区冬季天气非常寒冷。

The Paris question

巴黎协定问题

The Reuters news agency reported last week that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not answer its questions about the report.

路透社上周报道称,美国环境署没有回应他们对该报告的提问。

Trump administration officials have said that carbon emissions can change from year to year because of economic conditions. They said the country could both cut emissions and enjoy a strong economy at the same time.

川普政府官员表示,由于经济状况的原因,碳排放量每年都会发生变化。他们表示,美国可以在减少排放的同时享受强劲的经济。

Environmentalists say the Trump administration needs to speed up development of renewable energy, manufacturing power from wind and the sun's energy.

环保人士表示,川普政府需要加快可再生能源的发展,通过风能和太阳能发电。

The country's carbon emissions had been decreasing year by year since 2015, as the nation worked to honor the Paris Agreement on climate change. But even with those reductions, the United States was unable to meet reductions agreed to by the administration of former President Barack Obama.

美国的碳排放从2015年开始逐年下降,当时该国致力于履行《巴黎气候协定》。但是即使有所减少,美国也无法满足前奥巴马政府所同意的削减目标。

Officials from almost 200 countries gathered at United Nations' headquarters in 2016 to sign the climate agreement. Under the deal, the United States promised to cut its carbon emissions by at least 26 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2025.

2016年,来自近200个国家的官员在联合国总部签署气候协议。根据协议,美国承诺到2025年,将碳排放从2005年的水平减少至少26%。

But in June 2017, President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the deal. The U.S. will officially withdraw in 2020.

但是在2017年6月,川普总统宣布决定退出该协定。美国将在2020年正式退出。

I'm George Grow.

乔治·格鲁报道。

After falling for three years, carbon emissions in the United States rose in 2018.

That information is based on early estimates from an independent research group.

The Rhodium Group studies U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide, a gas linked to rising temperatures in Earth's atmosphere. Its new report estimates that the country's carbon emissions increased 3.4 percent last year. This would be the largest yearly increase since 2010, when the nation was recovering from a financial crisis known as Great Recession.

The research also suggests that the American coal industry continues to struggle because of low-cost, plentiful natural gas.

Bad news for coal

The Rhodium Group reports that coal-fired power stations that produced a total of 11.2 gigawatts of power had closed by last October. Even more were expected to have closed over the following months. If confirmed, that would make 2018 the biggest coal plant closure year on record.

Natural gas is now by far the energy of choice in the United States. The report credited gas for an increase of 166 million kilowatts an hour through October.

American power consumption - and carbon emissions - increased in 2018. The transportation industry was largely responsible for the nation's record emissions.

Demand for gasoline -- the fuel used in most motor vehicles -- decreased. But increases in the demand for other fuel, such as diesel and jet fuel, made transportation the industry most responsible for U.S. carbon emissions.

The report said another big producer of carbon emissions is the construction industry. Emissions from buildings and homes also were up last year, partly because of very cold winter weather in parts of the country.

The Paris question

The Reuters news agency reported last week that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not answer its questions about the report.

Trump administration officials have said that carbon emissions can change from year to year because of economic conditions. They said the country could both cut emissions and enjoy a strong economy at the same time.

Environmentalists say the Trump administration needs to speed up development of renewable energy, manufacturing power from wind and the sun's energy.

The country's carbon emissions had been decreasing year by year since 2015, as the nation worked to honor the Paris Agreement on climate change. But even with those reductions, the United States was unable to meet reductions agreed to by the administration of former President Barack Obama.

Officials from almost 200 countries gathered at United Nations' headquarters in 2016 to sign the climate agreement. Under the deal, the United States promised to cut its carbon emissions by at least 26 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2025.

But in June 2017, President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the deal. The U.S. will officially withdraw in 2020.

I'm George Grow.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

emission – n. the act of producing and releasing something, such as gas or radiation

diesel – n. a heavy oil used to power diesel engines in trucks

jet – adj. related to or involving a fuel used to power airplanes

consumption – n. the process or act of using something

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