Crunch time for an international agreement to tackle global warming is only weeks away. In December, the world will meet in Copenhagen to negotiate a new agreement on cutting global emissions of greenhouse gases, with prospects for a meeting of minds still far from certain. Developed countries' fears that the competitiveness of their industries will be undermined by weak emission-reduction pledges from developing countries are clouding hopes for progress. These fears have led to calls in some advanced countries, such as France and the US, for taxes on imports from countries that do not adopt stringent greenhouse gas targets.
幾周之後，世界各國爲應對全球變暖達成一項國際協定的努力就將進入關鍵時刻。今年12月，世界各國將在哥本哈根召開會議，就削減全球溫室氣體排放商討出一項新的協定，但各國達成一致意見的前景仍充滿不確定性。發達國家擔心，其工業競爭力會因發展中國家在減排方面的軟弱承諾而遭到削弱。這爲本次會議取得進展的希望蒙上了陰影。這些擔心已促使法國和美國等一些發達國家的人士呼籲，對來自那些未制定嚴格溫室氣體減排目標的國家的進口商品徵稅。