六級閱讀填空習題 Passage 5

Climate talks between the world's top 20 polluters have ended with an unusual level of agreement on the urgent need to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.

But delegates at the Mexico talks also stressed the massive gap between the politics and science of climate change. Several said they had never known such a positive atmosphere. Nobody doubted the reality of climate science anymore.

The U.K. claimed the talks a success, saying they brought together ministers from developed and developing nations. Politicians from China, India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Indonesia and other growing nations sat alongside G8 members to hear presentations on climate science, economics, technology, business and policy.

Business leaders from the World Economic Forum in Davos expressed a need for strong targets from governments on greenhouse gases. There was a clear message from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and British government-backed economist Sir Nicholas Stern that it was better and cheaper to cut greenhouse gas emissions now than to wait for the climate to change then try to adapt.

The IEA said much could be achieved with existing technology, although far greater investment was needed. The World Bank outlined its framework for investment in clean technology to help developing countries expand energy supplies without having to follow the dirty path of the West.

But bank representatives made it clear that there was no sign of the $20bn. (￡10.1bn.) investment programme heralded by the U.K. Chancellor Gordon Brown. The U.S., which was present at the talks, was objecting to parts of the proposal. The Under-Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, told the BBC that the U.S. was now acting urgently to tackle greenhouse gases—then later admitted that the country's emissions would continue to rise.

Another U.S. delegate agreed that the world would face inevitable sea-level rise because of climate change. But when informally asked if the U.S. opposition to mandatory（強制的）CO2 cuts had changed in any way in response to a surge in concern over recent science of climate change, the delegate economically replied “no”.

There have been rumours in the U.S. media that the Department of Energy has been in talks with business about mandatory CO2 caps. But a source here in Monterrey said the White House Council on Environmental Quality (a hard-line group of advisers with close links to the U.S. oil industry) has ruled that out. The U.S. is by no means the only sticking point in climate talks, however.

1. What is the topic of the climate talks between the world's top 20 polluters?

2. In addition to G8 members, delegates from other developed and developing nations also attended the talks to _____ on climate science, economics, etc.

3. According to the passage, IEA and Sir Nicholas Stern suggested it was better to _____ now than to wait for the climate to change.

4. By saying “follow the dirty path of the West”(Line 4, Para. 5), the World Bank held the opinion that western countries _____.

5. According to the message from Monterrey, what is the decision of White House Council on Environmental Quality on mandatory CO2 caps?