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鼓励中国建造更多环保大楼
添加时间:2016-05-07 09:10:03 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • How can the world best combat global warming? When asked that question, many people will talk about the need to close coal-fired power stations, embrace electric cars, recycle our rubbish and eschew2 air travel. Some might also point out that it is not enough for reforms to occur only in the west — emerging economies are also crucial.

    要抗击全球变暖,怎么做最好?在回答这个问题时,很多人都会谈到,要关闭燃煤发电厂、拥抱电动汽车、对垃圾进行回收利用、少坐飞机。有的人还会指出,只在西方进行改革是不够的——新兴经济体也很重要。

    But if the former US Treasury3 secretary Hank Paulson is correct, there is another essential step that almost nobody is talking about: putting money into Chinese housing. Yes, you read that right. These days, the phrase “Chinese real estate4” is usually mentioned by economists5 who are worried about bubbles. But Paulson is fascinated by another concern. Recent environmental studies suggest that about “40 per cent of carbon emissions6 currently come from buildings”, or so he told me over lunch earlier this month. Meanwhile, “roughly half of new buildings going up in the world [now] are going up in China”, he continued, because of the breathless pace of development.

    然而,如果前美国财长汉克•保尔森(Hank Paulson)所言不差,还有一个重要方法几乎无人谈及:向中国住宅投入资金。是的,你没看错。最近经常有经济学家谈及“中国房地产”一词,他们担心的是泡沫。但保尔森感兴趣的是另一个方面。最近的环境研究显示,“目前40%的碳排放来自建筑物”——本月早些时候,他在一次午餐时这么跟我说。而且,他继续说道,“(现在)全球在建的新建筑大约一半建在中国”,原因在于中国的开发步伐太快。

    Thus, if only the world could persuade China to construct those new buildings in an energy-efficient way, we might have the means to reduce global warming. Or, to put it another way, if you want to make the world more green, targeting the way that China constructs its buildings might be more effective than endlessly fretting7 about buildings in countries where the structures are already built.

    因此,只要世界说服中国用节能的方式建造新楼,我们可能就有办法减轻全球变暖。或者换句话说,如果你希望让这个世界变得更环保,那么,比起时刻不停地担心各国已落成的建筑,着眼于中国的建筑方式或许会更有效。

    Is this just a crazy idea? You might be tempted8 to think so. After all, Paulson shot to fame as the former Goldman Sachs CEO who became the Republican Treasury secretary and then had to deal with the subprime mortgage market shock of 2008. At the time, he seemed like a tough-talking, all-American financial mandarin9, the man who created a self-styled policy “bazooka” — a $700bn stimulus10 package. (When a TV movie, Too Big to Fail, was made about the crisis Paulson was played by William Hurt at his most rugged11.)

    这只是一种疯狂的想法吗?你可能忍不住这么想。毕竟,保尔森之所以声名鹊起是因为这位高盛(Goldman Sachs)前首席执行官以共和党成员身份成为美国财长,接着不得不去解决2008年在美国房地产市场爆发的次贷危机。当时他的形象是一位说话强硬、纯美国的金融要人,他开创了自称为“火箭筒”(bazooka)的政策:7000亿美元的经济刺激计划。(在讲述这场危机的电视电影《大而不倒》(Too Big to Fail)中,威廉•赫特(William Hurt)饰演保尔森,塑造了一个最坚毅的角色。)

    Paulson’s background is not an obvious platform from which to start a campaign to change the way that China builds its houses; least of all when other Republicans such as Donald Trump12 are winning votes with China-bashing. But Paulson is embarking13 on his mission via his own foundation, the Paulson Institute. His theory is that China, if it is ever going to turn green, needs to find ways to make environmentally suitable buildings more cost effective. So he is trying to raise finance from public and private investors14, inside China and elsewhere, to subsidise the use of green products, as part of a range of other environmental initiatives. “If you look at China, the bad news is that in their energy mix, roughly 70 per cent is coal, 20 per cent is oil and only 10 per cent is renewables,” he argues. “But the good news is that there is huge opportunity — and building is just one example.”

    保尔森的背景并不是特别适合开展一项旨在改变中国住宅建筑方式的运动;尤其是在唐纳德•特朗普(Donald Trump)等其他共和党人正借抨击中国争取选票的时候。但保尔森是通过自己的基金会——保尔森基金会(Paulson Institute)来开始这项使命的。他的理论是,如果中国要变得环保,就需要设法使环保建筑更具成本效益。因此,他正设法向公共和私人投资者——包括中国国内和世界其他地方——筹集资金,以补贴使用环保产品的做法,这是一系列环保倡议的一部分。“如果你看一看中国,坏消息是在中国的能源结构中,约70%为煤炭,20%是石油,只有10%是可再生能源,”他辩称,“但好消息是,这里机会巨大,建筑只是一个例子。”

    Who knows if this might work? But it is intriguing15 on several levels. First, it highlights an oft-ignored point: that if we want to tackle climate change, issues such as domestic recycling or electric cars are only a tiny part of the mix. Second, it shows that old-fashioned philanthropy is no longer the only game in town; nor, for that matter, are multilateral funds (or World Bank largesse). Instead, the fashion these days is finding ways to get private investors to back socially worthy16 projects, via innovations such as “green” bonds. This is hippy idealism meets Goldman Sachs spreadsheets.

    谁知道这是否有用?但它有几个方面颇有意思。首先,这突显出经常被遗忘的一点:如果我们希望应对气候变化,那么诸如国内垃圾回收或电动汽车等问题只占很小的角色。第二,这表明,老式的慈善不再是唯一的模式;多边资金(或者世界银行(World Bank)的巨额款项)也不是。相反,最近流行的是设法通过发行“绿色债券”等创新方式,争取私人投资者支持社会公益项目。这是嬉皮士的理想主义与高盛电子表格的相逢。

    But there is a third aspect to all this: Paulson’s tale is a welcome example of middle-aged17 reinvention. Over lunch, he admitted that when he left office in 2008, he suffered a bout1 of the blues18: without the adrenaline rush of power, it was tough to cope with the endless criticism of his policies. Once, former leaders in his position might head for the golf course; more recently, they have tried to establish general do-good foundations (such as the Clinton Global Initiative) or become consultants19.

    还有第三个方面:保尔森的故事是一个中年转型的可喜例子。在那次午餐时,他承认2008年卸任后他有一段时间情绪低落:没有了权力所带来的兴奋感,要面对无休止的批评——针对他所施行的政策——是很艰难的。过去,卸任的政要们可能会流连高尔夫球场;比较近的则设法成立慈善基金会(例如“克林顿全球倡议”(Clinton Global Initiative))或担任顾问。

    But Paulson’s strategy of picking a specific project — environmental challenges in China — seems unusually focused; today he exudes20 the air of a man who is profoundly at ease with himself. And who knows? He may end up doing some real good for the world too — either by getting more green buildings in China or even giving a new slant21 to the US-China relationship. (Unsurprisingly, Paulson is horrified22 by the tenor23 and tone of the Trump campaign and is supporting the candidacy of John Kasich.)

    但保尔森选择了一个特定项目——中国的环境挑战——他这种策略显得目标非常明确;如今,他给人的感觉是非常自在。谁知道呢?最终他也可能为世界做出一些真正的好事——或者促成中国建造更多环保大楼,或者着重推动美中关系。(不出所料,保尔森对特朗普竞选运动中的思想和论调感到可怕,他支持约翰•卡西奇(John Kasich)。)

    Either way, the sight of a US Treasury secretary who once grappled with American subprime housing woes24 now worrying about Chinese cement is unexpected — and oddly cheering. Financial history can move in some unexpected ways.

    不管是哪种方式,看到一位曾经在应对美国次贷危机的美国财长如今在担心中国的钢筋水泥,既使人意外,也奇怪地令人欣喜。金融史可能会出现一些出人意料的变化。

     11级    英语新闻 


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    1 bout [baʊt] Asbzz   第9级
    n.侵袭,发作;一次(阵,回);拳击等比赛
    参考例句:
    • I was suffering with a bout of nerves. 我感到一阵紧张。
    • That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her. 那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。
    2 eschew [ɪsˈtʃu:] fzzyw   第10级
    vt.避开,戒绝
    参考例句:
    • Eschew fattening foods if you want to lose weight. 你如想减肥,就不要吃致肥的食物。
    • Good kid should eschew bad company. 好孩子应避免交坏朋友。
    3 treasury [ˈtreʒəri] 7GeyP   第9级
    n.宝库;国库,金库;文库
    参考例句:
    • The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals. 财政部原则上反对这些提案。
    • This book is a treasury of useful information. 这本书是有价值的信息宝库。
    4 estate [ɪˈsteɪt] InSxv   第7级
    n.所有地,地产,庄园;住宅区;财产,资产
    参考例句:
    • My estate lies within a mile. 我的地产离那有一英里。
    • The great real estate brokers do far more than this. 而优秀的房地产经纪人做得可比这多得多。
    5 economists [ɪ'kɒnəmɪsts] 2ba0a36f92d9c37ef31cc751bca1a748   第8级
    n.经济学家,经济专家( economist的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
    • Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    6 emissions [ɪˈmɪʃənz] 1a87f8769eb755734e056efecb5e2da9   第7级
    排放物( emission的名词复数 ); 散发物(尤指气体)
    参考例句:
    • 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。
    7 fretting [fretɪŋ] fretting   第9级
    n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的
    参考例句:
    • Fretting about it won't help. 苦恼于事无补。
    • The old lady is always fretting over something unimportant. 那位老妇人总是为一些小事焦虑不安。
    8 tempted ['temptid] b0182e969d369add1b9ce2353d3c6ad6   第7级
    v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词)
    参考例句:
    • I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。
    • I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
    9 Mandarin [ˈmændərɪn] TorzdX   第10级
    n.中国官话,国语,满清官吏;adj.华丽辞藻的
    参考例句:
    • Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue. 大约有十亿以上的人口以华语为母语。
    • Mandarin will be the new official language of the European Union. 普通话会变成欧盟新的官方语言。
    10 stimulus [ˈstɪmjələs] 3huyO   第8级
    n.刺激,刺激物,促进因素,引起兴奋的事物
    参考例句:
    • Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts. 把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
    • Light is a stimulus to growth in plants. 光是促进植物生长的一个因素。
    11 rugged [ˈrʌgɪd] yXVxX   第8级
    adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的
    参考例句:
    • Football players must be rugged. 足球运动员必须健壮。
    • The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads. 落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。
    12 trump [trʌmp] LU1zK   第10级
    n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭
    参考例句:
    • He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown. 他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
    • The coach saved his star player for a trump card. 教练保留他的明星选手,作为他的王牌。
    13 embarking [imˈbɑ:kɪŋ] 7f8892f8b0a1076133045fdfbf3b8512   第7级
    乘船( embark的现在分词 ); 装载; 从事
    参考例句:
    • He's embarking on a new career as a writer. 他即将开始新的职业生涯——当一名作家。
    • The campaign on which were embarking was backed up by such intricate and detailed maintenance arrangemets. 我们实施的战争,须要如此复杂及详细的维护准备。
    14 investors [ɪn'vestəz] dffc64354445b947454450e472276b99   第8级
    n.投资者,出资者( investor的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
    • a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会
    15 intriguing [ɪnˈtri:gɪŋ] vqyzM1   第7级
    adj.有趣的;迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词);激起…的好奇心
    参考例句:
    • These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
    • It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    16 worthy [ˈwɜ:ði] vftwB   第7级
    adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
    参考例句:
    • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust. 我认为他不值得信赖。
    • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned. 没有值得一提的事发生。
    17 middle-aged ['mɪdl eɪdʒd] UopzSS   第8级
    adj.中年的
    参考例句:
    • I noticed two middle-aged passengers. 我注意到两个中年乘客。
    • The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women. 这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。
    18 blues [blu:z] blues   第9级
    n.抑郁,沮丧;布鲁斯音乐
    参考例句:
    • She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues. 她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
    • He was in the blues on account of his failure in business. 他因事业失败而意志消沉。
    19 consultants [kən'sʌltənts] c6fbb5ca6219111731f9c4c4d2675810   第7级
    顾问( consultant的名词复数 ); 高级顾问医生,会诊医生
    参考例句:
    • a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
    • There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。
    20 exudes [ɪgˈzu:dz] ddab1b9d3ea1477d1fff147b391ef133   第10级
    v.缓慢流出,渗出,分泌出( exude的第三人称单数 );流露出对(某物)的神态或感情
    参考例句:
    • The plant exudes a sticky fluid. 这种植物分泌出一种黏液。
    • She exudes sexual magnetism. 她洋溢着女性的魅力。
    21 slant [slɑ:nt] TEYzF   第8级
    n. 倾斜;观点;偏见 vi. 倾斜;有倾向 vt. 使倾斜;使倾向于 adj. 倾斜的;有偏见的
    参考例句:
    • The lines are drawn on a slant. 这些线条被画成斜线。
    • The editorial had an antiunion slant. 这篇社论有一种反工会的倾向。
    22 horrified ['hɔrifaid] 8rUzZU   第8级
    a.(表现出)恐惧的
    参考例句:
    • The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
    • We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。
    23 tenor [ˈtenə(r)] LIxza   第8级
    n.男高音(歌手),次中音(乐器),要旨,大意
    参考例句:
    • The tenor of his speech was that war would come. 他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
    • The four parts in singing are soprano, alto, tenor and bass. 唱歌的四个声部是女高音,女低音,男高音和男低音。
    24 woes [wəʊz] 887656d87afcd3df018215107a0daaab   第7级
    困境( woe的名词复数 ); 悲伤; 我好苦哇; 某人就要倒霉
    参考例句:
    • Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
    • She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

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