双语新闻：页岩气革命将拉大美欧差距

2014-10-23 17:06:24来源：网络

　　Earlier this year a paper released by the US Federal Reserve calculated that these pricevariations had boosted the output of American manufacturers by 3 per cent since 2006, whileraising investment by 10 per cent and jobs by 2 per cent; the impact on specific energy-linked industries was far higher. However, the IMF’s research suggests that the difference inenergy costs has boosted US manufacturing exports by 6 per cent, and it argues that each 10per cent fall in the relative price of natural gas in the US will boost US industrial production bya further 0.7 per cent, compared to that of Europe.

　　今年早些时候，美联储(Fed)在其发表的一篇文章中估计，自2006年以来，这种价格差异使得美国制造商的产出扩大3%，投资增长10%，就业增加2%;具体的能源相关行业受到的影响则更大得多。然而，IMF的研究显示，能源成本的差异导致美国制造业出口增长6%，并辩称，美国天然气价格相对欧洲每下降10%，工业产出就会高出0.7%。

　　At first glance, this 0.7 per cent differential may not sound important. But if this gap ismaintained over several years, the impact for competitiveness and output will be significant.It is not just the productivity statistics that matter; what the shale gas revolution has alsodone is create something that the IMF report does not mention: a transatlantic gap inpsychology.

　　乍一看，这个0.7%的差距可能听上去不太重要。但如果这个差距维持多年的话，它对竞争力和产出的影响将是巨大的。重要的不仅仅是生产率数据;页岩气革命还产生了一些IMF报告没有提及的东西：大西洋两岸的心理差距。

　　For many business leaders in America today, shale gas has not merely lowered energy costs;it has also fostered new respect for technological innovation. Think about it. A decade ago itseemed almost impossible to imagine that America might ever break its dependence onMiddle East oil imports, let alone see some rust-belt industries become competitive.

　　对于如今美国很多的企业领袖而言，页岩气不仅降低了能源成本;它还培育出人们对技术创新的新的尊重。想想看，就在十年前，美国打破对中东石油进口的依赖还几乎是不可想象的，更别提让一些“锈带”行业获得竞争力了。

　　Shifting attitudes are helping to spur a second change: as American businesses enjoy thebenefits of lower energy costs, a new spirit of collaboration is taking hold amongenvironmentalists, politicians and energy groups. Take Colorado. Previously, environmentalgroups were strongly opposed to the expansion of shale gas. But some, such as theEnvironmental Defense Fund, are now working with John Hickenlooper, the governor, to findways to deal with issues such as methane gas leakage or water contamination. “There is arecognition now that people need to work together,” observes Fred Krupp, head of EDF. “Thisis spreading to other states.”

　　态度的转变帮助激发了第二种变化：随着美国企业享受到能源成本下降带来的好处，环保主义者、政界人士以及能源组织升腾起一种新的合作精神。以科罗拉多州为例。此前，环保组织强烈反对大规模开采页岩气，但现在美国环保协会(Environmental Defense Fund)等一些环保组织正与该州州长约翰•希肯卢珀(JohnHickenlooper)合作，以设法解决甲烷气泄漏或水资源污染等问题。“现在的共识是人们需要合作，”美国环保协会负责人弗雷德•克鲁珀(Fred Krupp)认为，“这种共识正扩大到其他州。”

　　Not so in Europe; or not yet. This week Nick Clegg, the leader of Britain’s Liberal Democratparty, threw his weight behind shale gas. But many British politicians remain suspicious offracking, and environmental groups are stridently opposed. In France and Germany,antipathy is even more intense. “There is a such a big gap [in attitudes],” laments EdmondAlphandéry, a former French finance minister.

　　欧洲则并非如此，或者说迄今尚未如此。最近，英国自由民主党领袖尼克•克雷格(Nick Clegg)表态支持页岩气，但英国的很多政界人士仍对压裂技术存有疑虑，环保组织也表示强烈反对。法国和德国对页岩气的反感甚至更为强烈。法国前财长埃德蒙•阿尔方戴利(Edmond Alphandéry)哀叹道：“(欧美态度)天壤之别。”

　　This gap partly reflects differences in geography: Britain is a crowded island, and in France themain shale gas reserves are found in places such as Paris and Provence. There are bigdifferences in the legal structure of landholding too. But the other problem, it seems, is one ofzeitgeist. American business leaders (and voters) have an incentive to gamble on boldtechnological change; in Europe, it is harder to dream about pleasant surprises.

　　这种态度上的差异一定程度上反映出地理上的差异：英国是一个人口众多的岛国，而在法国，页岩气储量集中在巴黎和普罗旺斯等地。关于土地所有权的法律架构也存在巨大差异。但另一个问题似乎在于当下的一种时代思潮。美国企业领导人(以及选民)愿意押注于大胆的技术革新;而在欧洲，则很难奢望此类惊喜。

　　Perhaps a few bold pioneers such as Mr Ratcliffe can help change this. It would be nice to hopeso. But the longer shale gas remains a dirty word in Europe, the more the transatlantic gap inproductivity – and psychology – will widen. And that is bad news for Europe, at a time whenthe continent needs every iota of growth it can find.

　　或许，拉特克里夫等少数大胆的开拓者能够帮助改变这种局面。这样想当然不错。但欧洲对页岩气的反感时间越长，欧美生产率(和心理)的差距就会越大。在欧洲亟需任何增长机遇之际，这是一个坏消息。

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