6-1 给我们的孩子留下一个生机勃勃的地球！

Let’s Leave Our Children a Living Planet

 

E Huiyuan: Most Chinese people are not quite familiar with WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), could you give our readers a brief introduction about your organization?

 

Jim Harkness: WWF is one of the world's largest environmental non-? governmental, non-profit organizations. It was founded in 1961 in Switzerland and currently works in over 100 countries. Our mission is to stop, and eventually reverse¹, destruction of the world's biological diversity and natural systems, in order to build a planet where people and nature live in harmony. In addition to helping¹ protect wild species and habitats, WWF is also tackling major threats -- overfishing,deforestation,global warming, and toxic²² pollution -- that take such a devastating³³ toll⁴ on our planet. In short, we do much more than just save pandas! We are really concerned as much with promoting sustainable⁴ development as with protecting wildlife.

 

E: What major activities have you carried out in China and what achievements have you made?

 

Jim Harkness: WWF has worked for almost 25 years in China. Three major actions -- establishing new panda reserves⁵, setting up 2 million hectares⁶ of wetland reserves and promulgating⁷ National Environmental Guidelines -- carried out by China's government with support from WWF, were recognized by WWF International as Gifts to the Earth.

We began by working to help China protect the Giant Panda. After years of research on wild pandas, we worked with State Forest Administration to develop a National Action Plan for Conservation of the Giant Panda. We have helped set up new nature reserves for pandas. Today, over half of the panda's habitat is under formal protection, and we feel confident that this species has a brighter future. But as I said, we work on much more than just pandas! In 2000, we were asked to help develop National Guidelines for Environmental Education, as part of China's curriculum reform process, and those Guidelines have now become official policy. Another area that is a priority for WWF in China is conservation of freshwater resources and biodiversity.

Our other programmes focus on conservation and sustainable management of forests, protection of unique species on the Tibetan Plateau⁸, conservation in the Yellow Sea, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions⁵.

 

E: In your opinion, what is the most serious environmental problem existing in China? What measures should we adopt to improve the ever-deteriorating situation?

 

Jim Harkness: There are many serious problems: air pollution, water pollution, desertification, overfishing, destruction of natural habitats, acid rain, over-consumption of wild animals and plants, etc, etc. Behind them all, though, is the contradiction between economic growth and the environment.

Since United Nations Earth Summit in 1992, more and more people and governments have adopted the idea of “sustainable development.” This is the idea that today's economic growth should not wipe out⁹ the resources and options for future generations. Planning and development need to not insure only economic growth, but also social advancement⁶ and environmental health, and this means that some economic behavior must be restricted or controlled. Instilling¹⁰ principles of sustainable development into government planning, resource management and economic policy is the most important step China could take to solve its environmental problems.

China has already taken some remarkable⁷ steps to reduce damage to the environment. For instance, following the huge floods of 1998, the government banned logging in the upper reaches of the Yangtze river in order to protect forests and reduce flood dangers. Still, the basic contradiction between environment and development persists. Much work is to be done before we can say that China's development is truly sustainable development.

 

E: I notice that the logo of WWF is China's endemic¹¹ Giant Panda, why did you choose it instead of any other country's endangered animals?

 

Jim Harkness: There were several reasons. First, the panda is beloved all over the world. Second, it is endangered. Third, it depends very closely on its habitat. As you know, wild pandas eat only bamboo, so to save them, we have to save the forests they live in. I think WWF's founders⁸ wanted to make that connection, to show that we need to save whole ecosystems⁹, and not just put animals in zoos. Finally, there was a practical reason. In 1961, color printing was very expensive, and by choosing a black-and-white animal for our logo, we could save money! Non? profit organizations like WWF always have to think about how to reduce expenses, so we can spend more money on saving nature.

 

E: June 5 is the World Environment Day, could you say something on it to our readers?

 

Jim Harkness: I would just share one of WWF's main slogans: “Let's Leave Our Children a Living planet!”

 

注释：

1.reverse [ri5vE:s] vt. 使反向；使倒转；彻底改变

2.toxic [5tCksik] a.（有）毒的；有害的

3.devastating [5devEsteitiN] a. 破坏性极大的，毁灭性的

4.sustainable [sE5steinEbl] a. 能保持的；能持续的；能维

持的

5.reserve [ri5zE:v] n. 禁猎区，自然保护区；（公共）专用地

6.hectare [5hektB:] n. 公顷（等于100公亩或2.471英亩，合15市亩）

7.promulgate¹⁰ [5prCmEl^eit] vt. 颁布，公布

8.plateau [5plAtEu]（[复] teaus或 teaux）n. 高原

9.wipe out 彻底摧毁；消灭

10.instill [in5stil] vt. 滴注（into）；逐渐灌输（in，into）

11.endemic [en5demik] a.（动、植物或风俗习惯等）某地特有的

 

给我们的孩子留下一个生机勃勃的地球！

 

鄂慧媛：大多数中国人还不是很了解世界自然基金会，您能向我们的读者简要介绍一下这个组织吗？

 

郝克明：世界自然基金会是世界上最大的非政府、非赢利的环境保护组织之一。它于1961年在瑞士成立，目前在100多个国家开展工作。我们的使命是，制止并最终扭转对世界生物多样性和自然环境的破坏，以建造一个人与自然和谐共处的地球。除了帮助保护野生物种和它们的栖息地，世界自然基金会也正在采取措施应对主要的环境威胁——过度捕捞、乱砍滥伐、全球变暖和有毒污染，这些都对我们的地球造成了毁灭性的破坏。简言之，我们不仅仅是保护大熊猫！在保护野生动物的同时，我们也非常关注促进可持续发展。

 

鄂：基金会在中国主要进行了哪些活动，取得了什么成效？

 

郝克明：世界自然基金会已在中国开展了近25年的工作。在世界自然基金会的支持下，中国政府开展了三项主要工作——建立新的大熊猫保护区、建立200万公顷的湿地保护区、颁布《全国环境保护指导方针》。世界自然基金会国际总部认为，这三项工作是馈赠给地球的礼物。

 

我们的工作始于帮助中国保护大熊猫。在对野生大熊猫进行了多年的研究后，我们与国家林业局合作，制定了一份《保护大熊猫国家行动规划》。我们帮助为大熊猫建立起了新的自然保护区。现在，半数以上的熊猫栖息地得到了正规的保护，我们深信大熊猫的未来更加光明。但是正如我所说的，我们的工作不仅仅是保护大熊猫！2000年，我们应邀帮助制定作为中国课程改革进程一部分的《全国环境保护教育指导方针》，现在这些指导方针已经成为官方政策。世界自然基金会在中国开展工作的另外一个重要领域是保护淡水资源和生物多样性。

 

我们其他的重点项目有：森林的保护和可持续管理、西藏高原特有物种及黄海的保护、减少温室气体的排放。

 

鄂：您认为中国现在面临的最严峻的环境问题是什么？我们该采取哪些行动来改善日益恶化的环境？

 

郝克明：有很多严峻的问题：空气污染、水污染、沙漠化、过度捕捞、对自然栖息地的破坏、酸雨、对野生动植物的过度消费，等等，等等。所有这一切的背后是经济增长和环境保护之间的矛盾。

 

1992年联合国地球峰会以来，越来越多的人和政府接受了“可持续发展”的观念，这一观念认为，现今的经济发展不能以子孙后代的资源和选择为代价。规划和发展不仅仅要确保经济增长，还要保证社会进步和环境健康，这就是说一些经济行为必须受到制约。将可持续发展原则逐渐融入政府规划、资源管理和经济政策中，这是中国解决环境问题所能采取的最重要的一步。

 

中国为减少对环境的破坏已采取了一些重大举措。例如，在1998年特大洪水过后，为了保护森林和减少水患，中国政府明令禁止在长江上游伐木。然而，环境和发展的基本矛盾仍然存在。在我们可以把中国的发展称作真正的可持续发展之前，还有很多工作要做。

 

鄂：我注意到基金会的标志是中国特有的大熊猫，为什么选它作为你们的标志而不是任何其他国家的濒危动物？

 

郝克明：有几个原因。首先，熊猫受到全世界人民的喜爱。第二，它是濒危动物。第三，它非常依赖它的栖息地。众所周知，野生大熊猫只吃竹子，所以，要救助它们就必须要保护它们赖以生存的森林。我认为，世界自然基金会的建立者们想把这些事情联系起来，表示我们必须拯救整个生态系统，而不仅仅是把动物送进动物园。最后，还有一个现实的原因。1961年时，彩色印刷非常昂贵，选择一个黑白两色的动物作为我们的标志可以省不少钱！像世界自然基金会这样的非赢利组织常常要考虑如何减少开支，这样我们可以在拯救自然方面投入更多的资金。

 

鄂：6月5日是“世界环境日”，您能就此跟我们的读者说几句话吗？

 

郝克明：我只是想和大家分享世界自然基金会的一条主要标语：“给我们的孩子留下一个生机勃勃的地球！”

 

 

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

3 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

4 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

7 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

8 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

9 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

10 promulgate   

v.宣布；传播；颁布（法令、新法律等）

参考例句：

• The king promulgate a decree.国王颁布了一项命令。
• The shipping industry promulgated a voluntary code.航运业对自律守则进行了宣传。