German chancellor¹ Angela Merkel yesterday played down expectations of a breakthrough on climate change at next month's G8 summit of rich nations, admitting she "did not know" if a pact² on greenhouse gas cuts would be reached.

德国与美国正陷入艰难谈判之中，美国拒绝支持默克尔所呼吁的二氧化碳减排目标。德国将主办此次在海滨胜地海利根达姆召开的八国集团峰会。

Germany, host of the summit at the coastal³ resort of Heiligendamm, is locked in tough negotiations⁴ with the US, which is refusing to endorse⁵ Ms Merkel's call for targets to reduce carbon emissions⁶.

在最为详尽地介绍德国对八国峰会预期的演讲中，默克尔向议会表示，"我们必须迅速大幅减少温室气体排放，以限制地球变暖。"

In her most detailed⁷ speech on Germany's summit expectations, Ms Merkel told parliament "we must significantly and quickly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to limit the earth warming".