环境话题是历年口译考试的热点话题之一，今年的环保话题的重点在于低碳（low carbon）二字。低碳绝对是当下社会最为时尚的词汇，因为它涉及到经济涉及到社会涉及到民生的方方面面，从京都议定书以来，碳排放量就一直是环境问题的一个关键点，口译考试一直热衷于考察经济和环境等话题，因此与低碳的相关词汇大家要做好积累。

在全球暖化（global warming）导致的气候变化（climate change）的威胁之下，全球正直面低碳挑战（low-carbon challenge），因此，发展低碳经济，减少碳排放（carbon emission reduction），倡导低碳生活方式不但势在必行，而且是我们每一个地球人都必须重视和行动起来的头等大事。

1.低碳 Low-Carbon

2. 低碳经济 Low-Carbon Economy（LCE）

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.

3. 低碳生活 Low-Carbon Life

相关英语表达见如下例句：

（1）A one-year carbon emission reduction program proposed by China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) was started here Wednesday, on World Earth Day, to encourage citizens nationwide to adjust their lifestyle. and live a "low-carbon" lifestyle. A low-carbon lifestyle. covers many aspects of modern life, such as transportation, home heating, and holiday travel, which can be conducted in a way that gives the maximum reduction of personal carbon emissions.

（2）As the Copenhagen Climate Conference is drawing near, more and more debate about low-carbon lifestyle. come forth.

（3）Just this year, the low-carbon lifestyle, or Lifestyle. of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS), suddenly became trendy in China, particularly among young urbanites, Lin said.

与“低碳生活方式”相关的说法还有“低碳生活”，即low-carbon life，相关搭配就是lead a low-carbon life，因为“低碳经济”提出的大背景是全球气候变暖对人类生存和发展的严峻挑战，因此，“低碳生活方式”还可以表达为 climate-friendly lifestyles

4． 碳足迹，即carbon footprint。简单地说，碳足迹是用来衡量我们在日常生活中消耗的二氧化碳的一种方式。无论是开车上班、乘飞机旅行，还是使用电灯、电脑，我们都消耗石油、煤和天然气等化石燃料。这些化石燃料在燃烧时，会排放出诸如二氧化碳之类导致地球变暖的温室气体。对于carbon footprint，维基百科有如下定义：A carbon footprint is "the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event or product". For simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted. 相关表达见如下例句：A new purpose-built office complex that will offer eco-friendly accommodation across 66,250 square feet is under construction in Wales. It is reported that the Cardiff Waterside project, entitled 3 Assembly Square, forms part of a £140 million construction project and will aim to offer business in the area an environment that has a lower carbon footprint than traditional office space. 上述句子的背景是，英国政府成立了一个The Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP)，即低碳建筑计划，维基百科解释说，

LCBP is a Government programme in the United Kingdom administered by BERR (formerly the DTI). It offers grants towards the cost of installing domestic microgeneration technologies and larger scale distributed generation installations for public buildings and businesses, provided energy conservation standards are also met.