淮南市潘集区高皇中学:奥巴马在哥本哈根气候变化大会上的发言（视频+文字）

这篇演讲没有涉及太多的政治内容，但却涵盖了很多全球气候变化的背景知识。里面的一些英语措辞和表达也不错，实为练习英语听力和口译的绝佳参考资料。
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Remarks by President Obama at the Morning Plenary Session of the
United Nations Climate Change Conference
Bella Center
Copenhagen, Denmark
奥巴马在联合国气候变化大会当天上午的全体会议上发表讲话
贝拉中心
丹麦，哥本哈根
Good morning. It is an honor for me to join this distinguished group of leaders from nations around the world. We come here in Copenhagen because climate change poses a grave and growing danger to our people. All of you would not be here unless you — like me — were convinced that this danger is real. This is not fiction, it is science. Unchecked, climate change will pose unacceptable risks to our security, our economies, and our planet. This much we know.
早上好。十分荣幸能与世界各国尊贵的领导人汇聚一堂。我们来到哥本哈根，是因为气候变化对各国人民构成的严重威胁与日俱增。诸位如果不相信这一危险确实存在，你们──同我一样──都不会来到这里。这不是凭空虚构，这是科学。如果不加以制止，气候变化就将对我们的安全、我们的经济和我们的地球构成不可接受的危险。对此我们都了然于胸。
The question, then, before us is no longer the nature of the challenge -- the question is our capacity to meet it. For while the reality of climate change is not in doubt, I have to be honest, as the world watches us today, I think our ability to take collective action is in doubt right now, and it hangs in the balance.
因此，我们面临的问题不再是这一挑战的性质，而是我们应对这一挑战的能力。因为尽管气候变化的现实已无庸置疑，但恕我直言，在今天全世界都注视着我们的时候，我认为现在我们共同采取行动的能力还难以确定。这个问题事关生死存亡。
I believe we can act boldly, and decisively, in the face of a common threat. That's why I come here today — not to talk, but to act. (Applause.)
我相信面对这一共同威胁，我们能够采取勇敢、果断的行动。这就是我为什么来到这里的原因──不是为了高谈阔论，而是为了付诸行动。（掌声）
Now, as the world's largest economy and as the world's second largest emitter, America bears our responsibility to address climate change, and we intend to meet that responsibility. That's why we've renewed our leadership within international climate change negotiations. That's why we've worked with other nations to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. That's why we've taken bold action at home — by making historic investments in renewable energy; by putting our people to work increasing efficiency in our homes and buildings; and by pursuing comprehensive legislation to transform to a clean energy economy.
作为全世界最大的经济体和排放量名列第二的国家，美国在应对气候变化方面有自己的一份责任，我们准备尽这份责任。这就是为什么我们重新在国际气候变化谈判中发挥主导作用的原因。这就是为什么我们与其他国家共同努力，逐步取消化石燃料补贴的原因。这就是为什么我们在国内采取果敢行动的原因──对可再生能源进行前所未有的投资；要求我国相关人员努力提高住宅和建筑物的能效；并争取通过综合立法向清洁能源经济转化。
These mitigation actions are ambitious, and we are taking them not simply to meet global responsibilities. We are convinced, as some of you may be convinced, that changing the way we produce and use energy is essential to America's economic future — that it will create millions of new jobs, power new industries, keep us competitive, and spark new innovation. We're convinced, for our own self-interest, that the way we use energy, changing it to a more efficient fashion, is essential to our national security, because it helps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and helps us deal with some of the dangers posed by climate change.
这些减排行动意义深远。我们采取这些行动不仅是为了履行全球责任。我们相信──或许你们有些人也相信──改变我们生产和使用能源的方式对美国经济的未来必不可少。这样做将创造数以百万计新的就业岗位，为新兴行业提供动力，保持我们的竞争能力并激发新的创新。我们深信，为了我们的自身利益，我们使用能源的方式，使之向提高效率的方向转换，对我们的国家安全必不可少，因为这样做有助于减少我们对外来石油的依赖，也有助于应对气候变化构成的某些危险。
So I want this plenary session to understand, America is going to continue on this course of action to mitigate our emissions and to move towards a clean energy economy, no matter what happens here in Copenhagen. We think it is good for us, as well as good for the world. But we also believe that we will all be stronger, all be safer, all be more secure if we act together. That's why it is in our mutual interest to achieve a global accord in which we agree to certain steps, and to hold each other accountable to certain commitments.
因此，我希望本次全会的与会者知道，无论哥本哈根大会的结果如何，美国将继续采取这一行动方针，减少我们的排放，向清洁能源经济的目标前进。我们认为，这对我们本身有利，也对全世界有利。然而，我们也认为，如果我们能共同采取行动，我们大家都会更强大，更安全，更有保障。正因为如此，达成一项各方都同意采取某些步骤并相互要求对某些承诺负责的全球性协议，符合我们的共同利益。
After months of talk, after two weeks of negotiations, after innumerable side meetings, bilateral meetings, endless hours of discussion among negotiators, I believe that the pieces of that accord should now be clear.
经过几个月的讨论，经过两个星期的谈判，经过大量会外的会谈、双边会晤和谈判人员日以继夜的磋商，我相信这项协议各个方面的内容应该已经很明确。
First, all major economies must put forward decisive national actions that will reduce their emissions, and begin to turn the corner on climate change. I'm pleased that many of us have already done so. Almost all the major economies have put forward legitimate targets, significant targets, ambitious targets. And I'm confident that America will fulfill the commitments that we have made: cutting our emissions in the range of 17 percent by 2020, and by more than 80 percent by 2050 in line with final legislation.
首先，所有的主要经济体必须提出明确的国家行动减少各自的排放量，着手在气候变化问题上开创新局面。令我高兴的是，我们已经有很多国家这样做了。几乎所有的主要经济体都已提出合理的目标，重大的目标，意义深远的目标。我坚信，美国将履行已经做出的承诺：到2020年减排17%，到2050年减排80%以上，使之符合最后通过的法案。
Second, we must have a mechanism to review whether we are keeping our commitments, and exchange this information in a transparent manner. These measures need not be intrusive, or infringe upon sovereignty. They must, however, ensure that an accord is credible, and that we're living up to our obligations. Without such accountability, any agreement would be empty words on a page.
第二，我们必须建立一种机制审查我们是否信守自己的承诺，并以透明的方式交流这方面的信息。这些措施不必具有干预性，无需涉及主权。但这些措施必须确保达成的协议言而有信，确保我们都在履行自己的义务。没有这种问责制度，任何协议都只是一纸空文。
I don't know how you have an international agreement where we all are not sharing information and ensuring that we are meeting our commitments. That doesn't make sense. It would be a hollow victory.
令我无法想象的是，对于达成的国际协议，各方可以不共享信息，也不保证履行各自的承诺。这种协议简直毫无意义，只能是徒有虚名。
Number three, we must have financing that helps developing countries adapt, particularly the least developed and most vulnerable countries to climate change. America will be a part of fast-start funding that will ramp up to $10 billion by 2012. And yesterday, Secretary Hillary Clinton, my Secretary of State, made it clear that we will engage in a global effort to mobilize $100 billion in financing by 2020, if — and only if — it is part of a broader accord that I have just described.
第三，我们必须筹集资金，帮助发展中国家适应气候变化，特别是那些最不发达和最容易受气候变化影响的国家。美国将参与一项快速启动融资项目。到2012年，该项目将筹集100亿美元。昨天，国务卿希拉里·克林顿（Hillary Clinton）明确表示，我们将参与全球行动，到2020年筹集1,000亿美元资金，前提是──只有在这个前提下──这项计划必须纳入我刚才谈到的更全面的协议。
Mitigation. Transparency. Financing. It's a clear formula — one that embraces the principle of common but differentiated responses and respective capabilities. And it adds up to a significant accord -- one that takes us farther than we have ever gone before as an international community.
减排。透明。融资。这是一个明确的方案──其原则是，共同应对，措施有别，各尽其能。所有这些构筑了一个重要的协议──可以让我们的国际社会取得前所未有的进展。
I just want to say to this plenary session that we are running short on time. And at this point, the question is whether we will move forward together or split apart, whether we prefer posturing to action. I'm sure that many consider this an imperfect framework that I just described. No country will get everything that it wants. There are those developing countries that want aid with no strings attached, and no obligations with respect to transparency. They think that the most advanced nations should pay a higher price; I understand that. There are those advanced nations who think that developing countries either cannot absorb this assistance, or that will not be held accountable effectively, and that the world's fastest-growing emitters should bear a greater share of the burden.
在这次全会上，我只想说，我们的时间所剩无几。在这个关头，问题在于我们是共同奋进，还是分道扬镳；我们是故作姿态，还是身体力行。我相信，许多人认为我刚才讲述的框架并不完美。任何国家都不可能得到自己希望的一切。有些发展中国家想得到援助，又不想满足任何条件，不想承担保持透明的义务。他们认为最发达的国家应该付出更高的代价；我理解这一点。有些发达国家则认为发展中国家或者没有能力利用这些援助，或者无法有效地承担责任，因此世界上增长最快的排放国应该承担更大的责任。
We know the fault lines because we've been imprisoned by them for years. These international discussions have essentially taken place now for almost two decades, and we have very little to show for it other than an increased acceleration of the climate change phenomenon. The time for talk is over. This is the bottom line: We can embrace this accord, take a substantial step forward, continue to refine it and build upon its foundation. We can do that, and everyone who is in this room will be part of a historic endeavor — one that makes life better for our children and our grandchildren.
我们知道存在这些分歧，因为我们已经多年受这些分歧的制约。这样的国际讨论到现在已经进行了几乎20年，除了气候变化现象的加速，我们没有取得什么结果。空谈该结束了。我们的底线是：我们接受这个协议，向前迈出实质性的一步，继续使之完善，在这个基础上再接再励。我们能够这样做。在座的每一位都能亲身参与这项前所未有的事业──为了改善我们子孙万代的生活。
Or we can choose delay, falling back into the same divisions that have stood in the way of action for years. And we will be back having the same stale arguments month after month, year after year, perhaps decade after decade, all while the danger of climate change grows until it is irreversible.
否则，我们只能继续拖延，保持多年来阻碍我们采取行动的分裂状态。月复一月，年复一年，或许再经过十几二十年，我们又将进行同样的老生常谈。与此同时气候变化的危险将发展到不可收拾的地步。
Ladies and gentlemen,
女士们，先生们，
There is no time to waste. America has made our choice. We have charted our course. We have made our commitments. We will do what we say. Now I believe it's the time for the nations and the people of the world to come together behind a common purpose.
时不我待。美国已经做出了我们的选择。我们已经规划了我们的路线。我们已经表达了我们的承诺。我们言出必行。我们认为，现在全世界各国和人民应该为了一个共同的目标齐心协力。
We are ready to get this done today — but there has to be movement on all sides to recognize that it is better for us to act than to talk; it’s better for us to choose action over inaction; the future over the past — and with courage and faith, I believe that we can meet our responsibility to our people, and the future of our planet. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
我们准备今天完成这个工作──但所有各方必须行动起来，认识到言辞不如行动；无所作为不如有所行动；拘囿于过去不如着眼于未来──只要有勇气，只要有信心，我相信我们能够肩负起对人民，对我们星球未来的责任。非常感谢。（掌声）