快⬆️⬆️点击上方蓝字关注并星标这个公众号，一起涨姿势～
词数：443 words
难度：★★★☆☆
小贴士：
因公众号推送机制改版，很多朋友反映看不到我们，为了能更常看到我们的文章，请把我们“设为星标”，阅后点赞哦~
——大橙子留
✦ +
+
上期划线句答案
Fears about the potential effects of drugs on fetuses have also played a significant role in keeping people who have the potential to become pregnant out of studies.
担心药物可能对胎儿造成潜在影响，也在很大程度上阻止了那些有怀孕能力的人参与研究。
✦ +
+
本期内容
◆
双语阅读
Para.1
Countries around the world have turned to natural carbon sinks such as forests and wetlands to help them achieve their climate targets. The thinking is that these landscapes naturally soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and so can cancel out ongoing emissions from fossil fuels. But that kind of approach is a mistake, say some of the world’s leading scientists in a new study. And it could jeopardize the Paris Agreement’s vulnerable climate goals.
Para.2
Because carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for decades, forests and other natural carbon sinks are still absorbing emissions released by humans years ago. And that carbon doesn’t stay in the ground forever, either. It becomes part of the Earth’s natural carbon cycle, eventually escaping back into the atmosphere when the trees die before eventually being reabsorbed again by some other natural landscape. It’s all part of a giant natural equilibrium. But the system only stays in balance as long as emissions from human sources wind down to zero. If humans depend on natural carbon sinks to balance out ongoing future emissions, the world will just keep on warming.
Para.3
Countries around the world have submitted carbon-cutting pledges to the United Nations in an effort to meet the Paris Agreement’s two key climate targets: keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and if possible less than a more ambitious 1.5 C. Scientists warn that global emissions must reach net zero by midcentury for the world to even keep close to the 1.5 C target — meaning that any carbon going into the atmosphere must be balanced by the same amount of carbon coming back out. But those offsets need to be permanent, the scientists say — and they shouldn’t come from sources that are already part of the natural carbon cycle. To actually halt global warming, world leaders must offset any residual fossil fuel emissions by capturing that carbon and sequestering it in geological reservoirs underground where it can’t escape.
Para.4
The problem hinges on the rules of the Paris Agreement, which doesn’t require countries to separate passive carbon sinks, such as forests, from their net-zero targets. Many nations already have begun using these natural landscapes in their net-zero accounting systems, suggesting that the forests inside their national boundaries are offsetting some of their fossil fuel emissions.
Para.5
The study notes that more than 6.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from passive carbon sinks every year are classified as carbon removals in the national emissions inventories that countries submit to the United Nations. That means world leaders are using them to count against their fossil fuel emissions, helping them reach net zero faster.
本文节选自：Scientific American（科学美国人）
发布时间：2024.11.19
作者：Environment
原文标题：Trees Alone Can’t Stop Climate Change
◆
写作句总结
原句：To actually halt global warming, world leaders must offset any residual fossil fuel emissions by capturing that carbon and sequestering it in geological reservoirs underground where it can’t escape.
结构：To (verb) X, Y must (verb) Z by (gerund phrase).
例句：To foster genuine friendships, individuals must cultivate empathy by actively listening to and understanding others' perspectives.
◆
阅读理解题
Which of the following statements best reflects the potential problems of using natural sinks, such as forests, in net-zero accounting?
A. Natural sinks are not effective at absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
B. The carbon absorbed by natural sinks is not permanently sequestered and can be released back into the atmosphere.
C. Natural sinks are too expensive to maintain and manage effectively for carbon offsetting.
D. Utilizing natural sinks for carbon offsetting discourages the development of other carbon capture technologies.
◆
全文概括
A new study cautions against relying on natural carbon sinks, like forests and wetlands, to meet climate targets outlined in the Paris Agreement. These sinks temporarily absorb CO2, but this carbon eventually re-enters the atmosphere, meaning they don't provide permanent carbon removal. The study criticizes nations for counting carbon absorbed by these natural systems towards their net-zero goals, arguing that true carbon offsetting requires capturing and storing emissions in geological reservoirs. Failure to address this issue jeopardizes the Paris Agreement's ambitious climate goals.
◆
打卡作业
翻译文章中的划线句，文末留言打卡，下期推送会在文章开头处公布参考翻译答案，大家一起来学习英语吧~
翻译 | 大橙子
校对 | 慢慢
词汇词组 | 胖葛柔儿
划线句讲解 | 流木
写作句总结 | 大橙子
免责声明：本文来自网络公开资料，仅供学习交流，其观点和倾向不代表本公众号立场。
