After about two weeks of intense negotiations in Paris, delegates from around the world reached an international agreement on Dec.12 to address climate change.For the first time in history, 195 countries have promised to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to increase these reductions over time.
The agreement goes beyond requiring developed countries like the US to take actions to cut down emissions.It’s a universal agreement requiring some form of action from every country, rich or poor.
The agreement sets the date for an emissions peak “as soon as possible”.It would also limit warming worldwide to less than 2℃ above the levels in the 1800s.According to scientific studies 2℃ is the point at which climate change will bring destructive consequences to the planet, including rising sea levels, severe droughts, increased flooding, destructive storms, and widespread food and water shortages.
The deal also urges wealthy countries to set a non-binding (没有约束力的) goal of providing more than $100 billion (650 billion yuan) per year in public and private financing by 2020 for poorer countries to help them invest in clean energy and combat the impact of climate change.
The Paris deal asks countries to make voluntary promises based on an analysis of each country’s economy, politics and technology.However, the deal also includes a series of legally binding requirements.It requires countries to reconvene every five years, starting in 2020, with updated plans that would cut their further emissions.Countries will also be legally required to reconvene every five years starting in 2023 to publicly report on their progress.
The Paris deal alone won’t solve global warming.Its effectiveness will depend on whether each country enacts (立法) their promise.But the deal “could be viewed as a signal to global financial and energy markets, triggering a fundamental shift away from investment in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources like wind, solar and nuclear power”, according to The New York Times.
【小题1】Which of the following is true about the agreement?| A．It can help slow down global warming to some extent. |
| B．It requires only developed countries to cut down emissions. |
| C．It requires some form of action from all the countries in the world. |
| D．It would limit warming worldwide to 2℃ less than the levels in the 1800s. |
| A．do something to fight against climate change |
| B．invest more in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources |
| C．report on their progress of reducing their emissions since 2020 |
| D．provide more than $100 billion per year in public and private financing |
| A．Return. | B．Report. | C．Meet. | D．Promise. |
| A．To praise the involvement of the 195 countries. |
| B．To call on people to cut emissions of greenhouse gases. |
| C．To warn the devastating consequences of climate change. |
| D．To inform readers of an international agreement. |
