what is low carbon economy

9．What is a Low-Carbon Economy?

A Low-Carbon Economy (LCE) or Low-Fossil-Fuel Economy (LFFE) is a concept that refers to an economy which has a minimal output of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the biosphere，but specifically refers to the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Recently, most of scientific and public opinion has come to the conclusion there is such an accumulation of GHGs (especially CO2) in the atmosphere due to anthropogenic causes that the climate is changing.The over-concentrations of these gases are producing global warming that affects long-term climate，with negative impacts on humanity in the near future. Globally implemented LCE's therefore，are proposed as a means to avoid catastrophic climate change，and as a pioneer to the more advanced，zero-carbon society and renewable-energy economy．

The aim of a LCE is to integrate all aspects of itself from its manufacturing．agriculture,transportation and power-generation etc. around technologies that produce energy and materials with little GHG emission；and thus,around populations，buildings，machines and devices which use those energies and materials efficiently,and,dispose of or recycle its wastes so as to have a minimal output of GHGs.

Furthermore，it has been proposed that to make the transition to an LCE economically viable, we would have to attribute a cost (per unit output) to GHGs through means such as emissions trading and/or a carbon tax .

Some nations are presently low carbon: societies which are not heavily industrialized or populated.In order to avoid climate change on a global level，all nations considered carbon intensive societies and societies which are heavily populated might have to become zero-carbon societies and economies. Several of these countries have pledged to cut their emissions by 100％via offsetting emissions rather than ceasing all emissions (carbon neutrality); in other words,emitting will not cease but will continue and will be offset to a different geographical area .

It is reported that China's top economic planning body has confirmed the

government will take concrete actions to develop a low-carbon economy after it pledged to substantially reduce carbon intensity at last year's Copenhagen Conference. China would include the low-carbon targets in the 12th five-year plan for national economic development (2011-2015) to build an energy-saving，ecologically friendly society．

Words&Phrases

#VOICE VW Liang

①accumulation n. 积聚，累计

②anthropogenic adj.人类创造的；人为(改造或改变)的

③catastrophic adj.灾难性的

④dispose of 处理

⑤viable adj.切实可行的，可实施的

⑥attribute(to) v. 归因于

⑦offsetting v. 抵消，补偿

⑧carbon neutrality 碳中和，碳补偿，碳平衡

⑨substantially adv.大量地，大幅度地