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在哥本哈根氣候峰會舉行之際，美國環(huán)境保護署宣布將溫室氣體列為對人體健康有害的氣體，此舉受到了15000名來自各國的與會代表的歡迎。環(huán)保署的這一決定使得美國政府在國會尚未通過限制溫室氣體排放立法的情況下，仍然能夠要求企業(yè)采取減排措施。美國是唯一一個沒有簽署《京都議定書》的發(fā)達國家。這個消息說明了美國政府實施《清潔空氣法案》和應(yīng)對氣候變化的誠意。在此次會議開始之前，很多國家都表示在聯(lián)合發(fā)達國家和發(fā)展中國家共同實施減排舉措的過程中，美國的作用很關(guān)鍵。歐盟也曾經(jīng)表示，如果美國愿意為不發(fā)達國家減少碳排放，尤其是減少森林砍伐，提供資金支持，歐盟將進一步強化其減排舉措。
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December 7-18 talks in Copenhagen, where a record 15,000 participants are trying to work out the first new U.N. pact in 12 years to combat rising seas, desertification, floods and cyclones. |
The US Environmental Protection Agency ruled that greenhouse gases endanger human health, allowing it to regulate planet-warming gases without legislation from the Senate, where a bill to cut US emissions by 2020 is stalled.
The ruling was welcomed at the opening day of December 7-18 talks in Copenhagen, where a record 15,000 participants are trying to work out the first new UN pact in 12 years to combat rising seas, desertification, floods and cyclones.
"This is very significant in the sense that if...the Senate fails to adopt legislation (on emissions), then the administration will have the authority to regulate," Yvo de Boer, head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat, told Reuters in Copenhagen.
The United States is alone among industrialized nations outside the existing Kyoto Protocol that curbs emissions until 2012. Kyoto was meant as a small step to avert heatwaves, droughts, and rising sea levels.
"This is great news and shows that the administration is committed to enforcing the Clean Air Act and addressing climate change," said Keya Chatterjee of the WWF environmental group.
DEAL "WITHIN REACH"
Earlier, the Copenhagen talks opened with a stark UN warning about risks of climate change and a prediction by Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen that a deal to combat climate change is "within our reach."
He said that 110 world leaders including US President Barack Obama would attend a closing summit. The planned presence of so many leaders meant "an opportunity the world cannot afford to miss," he said.
Many nations say that the United States is the key to a deal in Copenhagen, seeking to break deadlock between rich and poor nations about sharing out the burden of curbs on greenhouse gas emissions. Most emissions are from burning fossil fuels.
Obama is aiming to cut US emissions by 3 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 with far deeper cuts in coming decades. Many developing nations want far more from Washington by 2020.
A delegate from a small, tropical island state said the EPA decision was "very positive. But let's hope that Obama will come with something even better when he comes here next week. So far it's not enough."
Politicians and scientists urged Copenhagen to agree immediate action to curb emissions and come up with billions of dollars in aid and technology to help poorer countries limit their emissions.
Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the UN's panel of climate scientists, said action was needed to avoid cyclones, heatwaves, floods, and possible loss of the Greenland ice sheet, which could mean a sea level rise of 7 meters over centuries.
"The evidence is now overwhelming that the world would benefit greatly from early action," he said.
And he defended the findings by his panel after leaked emails from a British university last month led skeptics to say that researchers had conspired to exaggerate the evidence. He said there were rigorous checks on all research.
The European Union said it may sharpen its carbon-cutting bid if the United States paid for more carbon cuts in poor nations, especially to curb deforestation.
Developing nations including small island states, which are most vulnerable to rising sea levels, demanded more action.
"So far we have not seen any real leadership" from rich nations, said Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim of Sudan, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
Dessima Williams, of Grenada, speaking on behalf of small island states at risk from rising seas, said the group "will not accept a made-for-television solution...We are here to save ourselves from burning and from drowning."
Outside the conference center, delegates walked past a slowly melting ice sculpture of a mermaid, modeled on the Danish fairy tale of "The Little Mermaid," as a call for action.
相關(guān)閱讀
(Agencies)
（中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 Helen 編輯）
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