Rising global temperature shows ‘enormous challenge’ of meeting climate goal

8 July 2020

Climate Change??UN

Annual global temperature is likely to be at least 1°C warmer than pre-industrial levels in each of the coming five years, putting globally agreed climate change targets?in jeopardy, new data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reveals.

pre-industrial：前工業(yè)社會，前工業(yè)

jeopardy n. /?d?ep?di/ ?IN ?JEOPARDY：處于危險(xiǎn)境地；受到威脅

meteorological /?mi?t??r??l?d??k?l/氣象學(xué)的

WMO：世界氣象組織(World Meteorological Organization)

The prediction is among the findings in the UN agency’s latest?Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, released on Thursday in Geneva, which also shows that temperature could exceed 1.5°C in at least one year between now and 2024.

Decadal /'dek?d?l/：十的，十年間的? ? ? Geneva?/d?i'ni:v?/ 日內(nèi)瓦

The Earth’s average temperature has already risen beyond 1°C above the pre-industrial period, which spans 1850-1900, while the last five years have been the warmest on record.

“This study shows – with a high level of scientific skill – the enormous challenge ahead in meeting the?Paris Agreement?on Climate Change target of keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius”, said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

Celsius adj. /?selsi?s/攝氏的

No substitute for action

The latest predictions take into account natural variations?and human influences on climate but?exclude?changes in?greenhouse gas?emissions and aerosols?resulting from lockdowns during the?coronavirus?pandemic.

natural variations：自然變化?? ?greenhouse gas：溫室氣體

exclude v. /?k?sklu?d/

1.?~ sth (from sth) to deliberately not include sth in what you are doing or considering 不包括；不放在考慮之列

2.?~ sb/sth (from sth) to prevent sb/sth from entering a place or taking part in sth 防止…進(jìn)入；阻止…參加；把…排斥在外

3.?to decide that sth is not possible?排除（…的可能性）；認(rèn)為…不可能

aerosol n. /?e?r?s?l/ （噴油漆、頭發(fā)定型劑等的）噴霧器，霧化器；氣霧劑； 氣溶膠

WMO explained that the slowdown in industrial and economic activity due to the pandemic is not a substitute for sustained and coordinated climate action.

“Due to the very long lifetime of CO2 in the atmosphere, the impact of the drop in emissions this year is not expected to lead to a reduction of CO2 atmospheric concentrations which are driving global temperature increases”, said Mr. Taalas.

“Whilst?COVID-19?has caused a severe international health and economic crisis, failure to tackle climate change may threaten human well-being, ecosystems and economies for centuries, Governments should use the opportunity to embrace climate action as part of recovery programmes and ensure that we grow back better.”

Whilst/wa?lst/??conj. 當(dāng)……的時(shí)候；與……同時(shí)；然而；雖然，盡管；直到……為止（等于 while）adv. 在……時(shí)候（等于 while）

Harnessing?international expertise

The?Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update?is led by the United Kingdom’s Met Office.

It harnesses the expertise of internationally acclaimed?climate scientists and the best computer models from leading climate centres around the world.

WMO explained that combining forecasts from across the globe enables a higher quality product than what can be obtained from any single source.

harness /?hɑ?n?s/ 1.V-T If you harness something such as an emotion or natural source of energy, you bring it under your control and use it. 利用2.背帶; 安全帶3.馬具; 挽具4. 給…套上挽具

acclaim /??kle?m/

1.V-T If someone or something is acclaimed, they are praised enthusiastically. 熱烈稱贊

? He was acclaimed as America's greatest filmmaker. 他被贊譽(yù)為美國最偉大的電影制片人。

2.ADJ 受到高度贊揚(yáng)的?3.N-UNCOUNT Acclaim is public praise for someone or something. 贊揚(yáng)

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原文鏈接：https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/07/1067991