考研英语阅读篇章: 潘基文地球日致辞

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    考研英语阅读篇章: 潘基文地球日致辞
    Each year, on Mother Earth Day, we reflect on our relationship with the
planet that supports us. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil
that grows our food are part of a delicate global ecosystem that is increasingly
under pressure from human activities. From tropical deforestation to depleted
ocean fisheries, from growing freshwater shortages to the rapid decline of
biodiversity and increasingly polluted skies and seas in many parts of the
world, we see the heavy hand of humankind.
    As our population grows we have to recognize that our consumption of the
planet's resources is unsustainable. We need a global transformation of attitude
and practice. It is especially urgent to address how we generate the energy that
drives our progress. Burning fossil fuels is the principal cause of climate
change, which increasingly threatens prosperity and stability in all regions.
That is why world leaders have pledged to reach a global legal climate agreement
in 2015.
    Action on climate change presents multiple opportunities to reset our
relationship with Mother Earth and improve human well-being, especially for the
poorest and most vulnerable. Sustainable energy for all can increase health,
wealth and opportunity for billions of people, as can climate-smart agriculture,
more efficient cities and better managed and protected forests.
    To generate ambitious action on the ground and raise momentum for a new
climate treaty in 2015, I am convening a Climate Summit in New York on 23
September this year. I am inviting Heads of State and Government along with
private sector and civil society leaders to showcaseinitiatives(主动权) and forge
alliances that can help launch a sustainable future. But they need support and
encouragement, for change is never easy. So today, on International Mother Earth
Day, I appeal to all people everywhere to raise their voices. Speak out on
behalf of this planet, our only home. Let us care for Mother Earth so she can
continue to care for us as she has done for millennia.