2024.01.04 外刊双语精读 公司与气候变化（二）：针对天然气的举措.docx

【1.4】1.4每日一篇双语精读Business and climate change (2)：Step on the gas Fossil-fuel giants agree to slash methane emissions 【1】methane is responsible for perhaps 45% of current global warming. In debates over climate change the short-lived but highly potent greenhouse gas is nevertheless typically upstaged by carbon dioxide, which hangs around the atmosphere for hundreds of years. Not at this years annual UN climate summit, hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai. “methane is taking its rightful place as the single biggest and fastest way to slow warming,” declares Durwood Zaelke, a renowned methane-warrior at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, a think-tank. 【2】On December 2nd some 50 big hydrocarbon firms pledged in Dubai to all but eliminate the methane emissions associated with the exploration and production of fossil fuels by 2030. They also pledged to end routine flaring of methane, which is the principal component of natural gas. Although farming releases more methane (via belching ruminants and upturned land), the energy sector is more concentrated and thus easier to corral. Drillers also have a bigger incentive than farmers to prevent leaks. After all, the gas that doesnt leak can be sold for a profit. 【3】Critics were quick to denounce the deal as greenwashing. Some argued that it would not lead to a phase-out of fossil fuels, something that campaigners want to see agreed in Dubai. These sceptics suggest that a methane deal could be seen as giving the oil-and-gas industry, which they want to kill off, a “get out of jail free” card. One green group complains that the deal is voluntary and worries that the promised cuts will not be honoured. 【4】That is a reasonable concern, given the fossil-fuel industrys dismal record of climate denial and regulatory obstruction. Still, the deal represents a breakthrough of sorts. The companies involved account for some 40% of global oil production, and include not just Western supermajors like ExxonMobil and Shell but also 29 national oil companies, among them Saudi Aramco, the mightiest of them all, and ADNoe of the UAE. The state giants, which are responsible for the majority of the industrys methane emissions, had long resisted joining any such agreement, or even acknowledging that the leaks existed. Their participation is therefore a big win. 【5】The adopted target, to cut methane emissions by an order of magnitude, to a mere 0.2% or so of oil and gas production by the end of the decade, is both ambitious and precise. Progress will be independently verified by third parties, including the UN Environment Programme. Helpfully, the third-party verifiers have a growing toolkit at their disposal, from methane-sniffing satellites to ground-based sensors. Any methane-miscreants should have nowhere to hide.短语1.原文：Methane is responsible for perhaps 45% of current global warming.词典：be responsible for sth 作为原因；成为起因例句：Cigarette smoking is responsible for about 90% of deaths from lung cancer.因患肺癌而死亡者，约90%是吸烟所致。2.原文：which hangs around the atmosphere for hundreds of years.词典：hang about 1.（在某处附近）等待，逗留，闲荡 2.慢悠悠 3.停一下；等一等例句：kids hanging about in the streets在街上东游西逛的孩子们I can't hang aboutthe boss wants to see me.我可不能磨磨蹭蹭了老板要见我。3.原文：On December 2nd some 50 big hydrocarbon firms pledged in Dubai to all but eliminate the methane emissions associated with the exploration and production of fossil fuels by 2030.词典：all but 1.几乎；差不多 2.除外全部例句：The party was all but over when we arrived.我们到的时候，聚会都快要结束了。It was all but impossible to read his writing.他的笔迹几乎没法辨认。All but one of the plates were damaged.除去一只，盘子全打碎了。4.原文：On December 2nd some 50 big hydrocarbon firms pledged in Dubai to all but eliminate the methane emissions associated with the exploration and production of fossil fuels by 2030.词典：be associated with sth （与）相关的；相联系的例句：These symptoms are particularly associated with migraine headaches.这些症状尤其与偏头痛相关。5.原文：They also pledged to end routine flaring of methane,词典：pledge to do sth 发誓做某事例句：The group has pledged to continue campaigning.这个组织发誓继续投入运动。6.原文：which is the principal component of natural gas. 词典：be the/a component of sth 是的组成部分例句：Enriched uranium is a key component of a nuclear weapon.浓缩铀是核武器的关键组成部分。7.原文：After all, the gas that doesnt leak can be sold for a profit.词典：after all 毕竟，终归例句：After all, 15 minutes of exercise is better than nothing. 毕竟，锻炼15分钟比不锻炼好。Things weren't so bad, after all. I was among friends again 情况还不是那么糟糕，毕竟我又回到了朋友当中。8.原文：Some argued that it would not lead to a phase-out of fossil fuels,词典：名词phase-out来源于动词词组phase sthout：逐步废除例句：Subsidies to farmers will be phased out by next year.对农民的补贴将在明年之前逐步废除。9.原文：which they want to kill off, a “get out of jail free” card.词典：kill sb/sthoff 1.大量杀死，大量消灭（动植物等） 2.使某事物停止；除掉；排除例句：Some drugs kill off useful bacteria in the user's body.某些药物会杀死服用者体内的有益细菌。He has effectively killed off any political opposition.他实际上已消灭了一切对立的政见。10.原文：The companies involved account for some 40% of global oil production,词典：account for sth 1.是的说明（或原因） 2.解释，说明 3.（数量上、比例上）占例句：The poor weather may have accounted for the small crowd.天气不好可能是人来得少的原因。How do you account for the show's success?你认为这次演出为何成功？The Japanese market accounts for 35% of the company's revenue.日本市场占该公司收入的35%。11.原文：Still, the deal represents a breakthrough of sorts.词典：of sorts（表示某事物不够好）勉强算的，凑合的例句：He offered us an apology of sorts.他给我们勉强道了个歉。12.原文：The adopted target, to cut methane emissions by an order of magnitude, 词典：the order of magnitude程度;重要性；数量级（量度物理量大小的标准，用以10为底的指数表达）例句：The problem is of the same order of magnitude for all concerned.这个问题对有关各方的影响是一样大的。America and Russia do not face a problem of the same order of magnitude as Japan. 美俄两国所面临问题的重要性与日本的不可同日而语。13.原文：to a mere 0.2% or so of oil and gas production by the end of the decade词典： or so 左右；上下例句：There were twenty or so (= about twenty) people there.那儿有差不多二十个人。We stayed for an hour or so.我们待了一个小时左右。长难句1.原文：On December 2nd some 50 big hydrocarbon firms pledged in Dubai to all but eliminate the methane emissions associated with the exploration and production of fossil fuels by 2030.2.分析：主句是主谓宾结构some 50 big hydrocarbon firms（主语）pledged to eliminate（谓语动词）the methane emissions（宾语）。On December 2nd和by 2030为时间状语，in Dubai为地点状语，all but是程度副词。associated with the exploration and production of fossil fuels为后置定语，修饰the methane emissions。3.译文：12月2日，约50家大型烃公司在迪拜承诺，将在2030年前尽力消除所有和化石能源勘探与生产相关的甲烷排放。1.原文：The adopted target, to cut methane emissions by an order of magnitude, to a mere 0.2% or so of oil and gas production by the end of the decade, is both ambitious and precise.2.分析：主句是主系表结构The adopted target（主语）is（系动词）both ambitious and precise（表语）。to cut methane emissions to a mere 0.2% or so是target的具体内容，作它的同位语。介词短语of oil and gas production与methane emissions搭配，本课程出自微信公众号：双语精读训练营，制作不易，尊重原创，愿诸君上岸！表示“生产石油和天然气导致的甲烷排放”。by the end of the decade作时间状语。3.译文：协议所采纳的目标宏大而又精准，根据数量级将10年后的甲烷排放削减至石油与天然气生产的0.2%。写作技巧:Helpfully, the third-party verifiers have a growing toolkit at their disposal, from methane-sniffing satellites to ground-based sensors. Any methane-miscreants should have nowhere to hide.有益的是，第三方检验机构已能使用越来越多的工具，从甲烷探测卫星到地面探测器。任何破坏甲烷减排的人都将无处藏身。表达：当写作时遇到针对某种坏现象要提出某些举措时，可以运用这一表达“某方有越来越多的工具/方法能够使用，从到。任何不法之徒都将无处藏身”。例句：Helpfully, local governments have more methods at their disposal, from incentives to law-abiding plants to penalties for misdeeds. Any environment-miscreants should have nowhere to hide.有益的是，地方政府已有更多的办法，从激励守法工厂到惩罚不当行为。任何环境破坏者都将无处藏身。背景知识：洗绿（Greenwashing）：是美国环保主义者杰伊·威斯特维尔德创造的概念，指的是企业伪装成“环境之友”，试图掩盖对社会和环境的破坏，以此保全和扩大自己的市场或影响力。段落大意：【1】甲烷成为了解决气候变化问题的焦点【2】50家大型烃公司承诺减排【3】批评者认为此举不过是“洗绿”【4】不管怎样，减排协议都算得上是一个突破【5】协议的目标宏大且精准