New Zealand recently released a proposal to put a price on gases released from agricultural activity. The move is part of an effort to deal with the country's biggest sources of greenhouse gases: sheep and cattle.
新西兰最近发布了一项提案，对农业活动排放的气体进行定价。此举是应对该国最大温室气体来源的努力的一部分，羊和牛是其主要来源。
Greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, are believed to cause warming temperatures in the Earth's atmosphere.
包括二氧化碳和甲烷在内的温室气体被认为会导致地球大气温度升高。
The measure would make New Zealand the first country to have farmers pay for emissions from farm animals, the Ministry for Environment said.
新西兰环境部表示，该措施将使新西兰成为首个让农民为农场动物排放付费的国家。
New Zealand, home to 5 million people, has about 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep. These animals release gases such as methane.
新西兰拥有500万人口，大约有1000万头牛和260只羊。这些动物会释放甲烷等气体。
Nearly half of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. But agricultural emissions have previously not been part of the country's emissions trading plan. This has lead some to criticize the government's willingness to stop the greenhouse effect, known as global warming.
新西兰温室气体排放总量有近一半来自农业。但农业排放此前并未成为该国排放交易计划的一部分。这导致一些人批评政府阻止温室气体，即全球变暖的意愿。
Under an early version of the plan, which was put together by government and farm community representatives, farmers will have to pay for their gas emissions starting in 2025. Short-and long-lived farm gas will be priced separately, although a single measure to calculate their volume will be used.
根据由政府和农场社区代表制定的早期计划，从2025年开始，农民将不得不为他们的气体排放付费。短期和长期的农场气体将分别定价，但将使用一种单一的计量方法来计算它们的体积。
James Shaw is New Zealand's Climate Change Minister.
詹姆斯·肖是新西兰气候变化部长。
He said, "There is no question that we need to cut the amount of methane we are putting into the atmosphere, and an effective emissions pricing system for agriculture will play a key part in how we achieve that."
他说：“毫无疑问，我们需要减少向大气中排放的甲烷量，有效的农业排放定价体系将在我们如何实现这一目标方面发挥关键作用。”
The proposal includes incentives for farmers who reduce emissions through feed additives, while on-farm forestry can be used to make up for emissions. Money from the plan will be invested in research, development and information services for farmers.
该提案包括对农民利用饲料添加剂减少排放的激励措施，同时农场林业可以用于弥补排放。该计划的资金将用于为农民提供研究、开发和信息服务。
Michael Ahie is chair of the climate action group He Waka Eke Noa. Ahie used the term sustainable, meaning involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources, to describe the plan.
Michael Ahie 是气候行动组织 He Waka Eke Noa 的主席。Ahie使用可持续一词来描述该计划，意思是指不会完全耗尽或破坏自然资源的方法。
"Our recommendations enable sustainable food and fiber production for future generations while playing a fair part in meeting our country's climate commitments," Ahie said.
Ahie表示：“我们的建议能够为子孙后代提供可继续的食品和纤维生产，同时在履行我们国家的气候承诺方面发挥相当大的作用。”
The proposal would possibly be the biggest change to farming since the removal of agricultural subsidies in the 1980s, said Susan Kilsby, an agricultural economist at ANZ Bank.
澳新银行农业经济学家苏珊·基尔斯比表示，该提议可能是自1980年取消农业补贴以来对农业的最大改革。
A final decision on the plan is expected in December.
该计划的最终决定预计在12月作出。
I'm Ashley Thompson.
我是阿什利·汤普森。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)