UN Agency Partners with Chinese Start-Up Company

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Category: Science/Environment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. team up / tim ʌp / (phrasal) – to work together with an individual or a group
    Example:

    Environmentalists team up with politicians to fight against irresponsible mining.


  2. start-up / ˈstɑrtˌʌp / (n) – a new business
    Example:

    A smartphone company partnered with a technology start-up.


  3. launch / lɔntʃ / (v) – to start something
    Example:

    The designer launched her first collection of gowns.


  4. rural / ˈrʊər əl / (adj) – having the characteristics of the countryside
    Example:

    Environmentalists love to visit rural areas.


  5. forum / ˈfɔr əm, ˈfoʊr əm / (n) – a meeting open to discussions about a particular subject
    Example:

    They invited experts to the forum to solve the environmental issue.


Article

Read the text below.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced that they have teamed up with ofo to achieve a mutual goal.


UNDP recently partnered with ofo, a bicycle-sharing start-up based in Beijing, to take innovative steps toward protecting the environment. The goal of the partnership is to maintain a clean and sustainable environment by solving climate change.


To accomplish their goal, UNDP and ofo listed three strategies. The first is to give financial support to environmental projects in towns and cities. ofo will give a donation every 17th of each month to make this possible. Secondly, they plan to make informative campaigns against carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which contribute to climate change. Lastly, they proposed to launch a scholarship program for research and for start-ups that offer environment-friendly products.


UNDP will also assist ofo in distributing unused bicycles to help poor students in rural areas travel to their schools.


In a forum held in April this year, the United Nations centered its attention on the significance of strong partnerships. The UN deputy secretary-general noted that partnering with private companies will help them achieve their Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Under the SDGs are different programs that seek to develop the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of the world by 2030.


According to the deputy secretary-general, global partnerships will help provide a better and more sustainable future for the next generation.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Which of UN and ofo’s strategies do you think will have the biggest impact on the environment? Why?
• Which do you think will be the most difficult to accomplish? Why?

Discussion B

• Which companies in your country do you think have the potential to be UNDP partners?
• In what other ways can companies help raise awareness on climate change?