2007年VOA标准英语-APEC Business Leaders Call for Action to Combat
时间:2019-02-03 作者:英语课 分类:2007年VOA标准英语(九月)
Sydney
05 September 2007
Representatives from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory 1 Council wrapped up talks calling on APEC leaders to take urgent action to combat climate change. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins is in the Australian city Sydney where business leaders met ahead of this week's APEC leaders meeting.
Climate change topped the agenda of the three-day meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council, known as ABAC.
"What ABAC is saying to those leaders is there is a real sense of urgency in the business community for the policy makers 2 to set clear rules," said Mark Johnson, the chairman of this year's ABAC meeting. "Consumers are going to have to change their behavior in response to the cost of climate change, and business is going to have to change its behavior very markedly."
According to ABAC, the 21 APEC economies account for some 60 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions 3, thought to be a major contributor to global warming.
Johnson says business will have to invest in new technology to combat global warming.
"Business is going to have to invest in new technology for greater energy efficiency and it's going to have to invest in new technology to produce cleaner energy to do those things we need a clear, transparent 4 framework, preferably a market framework that gives us clear price signals so that we know where to invest," said Johnson.
Another major topic at the ABAC meeting was trade liberalization negotiations 5 under the World Trade Organization known as the Doha round.
The talks have stalled over disagreements on cutting agricultural barriers and increasing market access for manufactured goods.
Johnson says the APEC meeting is the last chance to revive the talks.
"Doha, while many people are getting tired of Doha, this is probably its last, best, and almost only chance … business, which looks for return on investment, is not getting very much of a return on its investment in Doha and if we don't see tangible 6 progress, business will move on to alternatives," he said.
ABAC is made up of up to three members of the private sector 7 of each of the 21 APEC economies. It is a permanent body aimed at providing an independent business perspective within APEC.
ABAC will present its annual report at the APEC leaders meeting this weekend.
- I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
- He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。
- The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
- The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- 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。
- The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明,可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
- The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。
- negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
- Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
- The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
- There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。