许多政府正在试图减少温室气体排放，以应对气候变化。但我们能否实现不产生任何多余排放的目标？

词汇：climate 气候

• We are all aware of the effect greenhouse gas emissions is having on our planet and the efforts needed to tackle climate change. Most of us are doing our bit to minimise our impact on the environment, but despite our collective effort, are we doing enough to achieve net zero by 2050?

  我们都知道温室气体排放对地球的影响，以及应对气候变化所需的努力。我们大多数人都在尽自己的一份力，尽量减少对环境的影响，但尽管我们共同努力，我们所做的努力是否足以在2050年实现净零排放呢？

  ⭐ greenhouse gas 温室气体; emission [ɪˈmɪʃn] 排放; tackle [ˈtæk(ə)l] v. 应付，解决; climate change 气候变化; do one’s bit 尽一份力; net zero “净零排放”（温室气体净排放为零）;

• Net zero means not adding to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Many countries are doing their bit by changing how they generate and use power, thereby cutting carbon dioxide output. And they announced what further steps they were going to take at the recent COP26 summit in Glasgow.

  净零排放意味着不增加大气中的温室气体量。许多国家正在尽自己的一份力，改变他们发电和使用电力的方式，从而减少二氧化碳的排放。在最近于格拉斯哥举行的COP26峰会上，他们宣布了将要采取的进一步措施。

  ⭐ carbon dioxide [daɪˈɑːksaɪd] 二氧化碳

• In the UK, the government has been setting out its plans to achieve net zero by 2050. It’s recently announced an end date for the sale of gas boilers, which are used for heating homes. The idea is to replace them with heat pumps. It’s offering homeowners grants of up to £5,000 to get them installed. Another initiative in the UK is a big push towards electric vehicles. There are to be financial incentives for car manufacturers, and more charging points are to be installed in streets. And there’s to be a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

  在英国，政府一直在制定到2050年实现净零排放的计划。最近，宣布了用于家庭供暖的燃气锅炉销售的终止日期。其想法是用热泵来取代它们。它为房主提供高达5000英镑的补贴来安装这些设备。英国的另一项举措是大力推广电动汽车。政府将为汽车制造商提供财政激励，并在街道上安装更多的充电桩。到2030年，将禁止销售新的汽油和柴油汽车。

  ⭐ gas boiler 燃气锅炉; heat pump 热泵; electric vehicle 电动车辆，电动汽车; incentive 鼓励，激励; ban n. 禁止，禁令；diesel [ˈdiːz(ə)l] n. 柴油；

• But not all emissions can be reduced to zero, so those remaining will have to be compensated for, or offset. One way to do this is to plant thousands of trees, which are good at absorbing carbon dioxide. The UK government has pledged to plant 30,000 hectares of trees a year by 2025. There are other ideas too, but what’s certain is this will cost money. The CBI’s Tom Thackray told the BBC that “those costs have to be weighed up against the cost of inaction.”

  但并不是所有的排放都能减少到零，所以剩下的排放必须得到补偿或抵消。一种方法是种植数千棵善于吸收二氧化碳的树。英国政府承诺到2025年每年种植3万公顷的树木。也有其他的想法，但可以肯定的是这将花费金钱。CBI的汤姆•萨克雷在接受BBC采访时表示:“必须对不作为的代价进行权衡。”

  ⭐ offset 抵消; pledge v. 保证**;** inaction 不作为，不行动

• Whether the UK, or anyone else, reaches net zero remains to be seen. And there’s some doubt about how this can be accurately measured anyway. But it’s generally recognised that a global effort is needed to tackle climate change. Therefore, net zero targets only make sense if every other country is moving in the same direction.

  英国或其他国家是否能实现零排放还有待观察。而且，对于如何准确地测量这一点，还有一些疑问。但人们普遍认为，应对气候变化需要全球共同努力。因此，只有当其他国家都朝着同样的方向发展时，净零排放目标才有意义。

  ⭐ global effort 全球携手努力; target 目标

词汇表

emission 排放

climate change 气候变化

do one’s bit 尽一份力

net zero “净零排放”（温室气体净排放为零）

greenhouse gas 温室气体

carbon dioxide 二氧化碳

gas boiler 燃气锅炉

heat pump 热泵

electric vehicle 电动车辆，电动汽车

incentive 鼓励，激励

offset 抵消

inaction 不作为，不行动

global effort 全球携手努力

target 目标

测验与练习

1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

1. In which city did many world leaders recently meet to discuss reaching net zero?

2. Name one thing the UK government is going to end the sale of.

3. What is the UK government hoping to plant by 2025?

4. True or false? A few countries need to take action to tackle climate change.

5. What device needs to be installed more commonly in streets in order to power electric cars?

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. We’re _______ to tidy up the village by picking up litter.

done our bit                  doing our bit                  doing your bit              did our bit

1. The _______ for writing this script is we’re allowed to go home early.

inaction                         offset                            incentive                      targets

1. Kevin has set us a _______ to do double the amount of work this week.

target                            targeted                        targets                         targeting

1. We’re going to _______ the cost of the holiday by not spending as much on going out for meals.****

offset                            do our bit                       inaction                       emissions

1. It takes a _______ to deal with climate change.

globe effort                   global effect                   global efforts               global effort

答案

• 1.  阅读课文并回答问题。 ****

  5. What device needs to be installed more commonly in streets in order to power electric cars?More charging points need to be installed in streets to power electric cars.

1. In which city did many world leaders recently meet to discuss reaching net zero?Glasgow, UK.

2. Name one thing the UK government is going to end the sale of.It plans to end the sale of gas boilers, and petrol and diesel vehicles.

3. What is the UK government hoping to plant by 2025?The UK government has pledged to plant 30,000 hectares of trees a year by 2025.

4. True or false? A few countries need to take action to tackle climate change.False. It’s generally recognised that a global effort is needed to tackle climate change.

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. We’re doing our bit to tidy up the village by picking up litter.

2. The incentive for writing this script is we’re allowed to go home early.

3. Kevin has set us a target to do double the amount of work this week.

4. We’re going to offset the cost of the holiday by not spending as much on going out for meals.

5. It takes a global effort to deal with climate change.