减排新理念：多吃昆虫少吃牛羊肉

 　　A policy on eating insects is being formally considered by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation¹ (FAO). Using insects instead of beef and mutton not only meets food supply brought by high growth of global population, but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions².

　　According to the Guardian³ on August 1, the UN draft said that the raising of livestock⁴ such as cows, pigs and sheep occupies two-thirds of the world's farmland and generates 20 percent of all greenhouse gases driving global warming.

　　Professor Arnold van Huis, an entomologist at Wageningen University in Belgium and the author of the draft, said eating insects has advantages. “There is a meat crisis,”he said. “The world population will grow from six billion now to nine billion by 2050 and we know people are consuming more meat.”

　　Furthermore, breeding commonly eaten insects such as locusts⁵, crickets and meal worms, emits 10 times less methane⁶ than livestock.

　　In 80 percent of the nations around the world, more than 1,000 insects are known to be eaten by choice, They are most popular in the tropics, where they grow to large sizes and are easy to harvest. The FAO held a meeting on the theme in Thailand in 2008 and there are plans for a world congress in 2013.

　　减排新理念：多吃昆虫少吃牛羊肉

　　联合国粮农组织日前郑重宣布，用昆虫代替牛羊肉，既可满足全球人口增长带来的食物供给压力，还可减少温室气体排放。

　　英国《卫报》1日的报道援引联合国的文件，称饲养牛、猪和羊等家畜会占用全世界2/3的农耕地，并产生了全球20%的温室气体。

　　该文件作者、比利时昆虫学家阿诺德?休伊斯认为，随着世界人口膨胀, 人对肉类的摄取量也大幅增加，地球已面临“肉危机”。他主张吃昆虫，因为昆虫含有高蛋白、维生素和矿物质。

　　除此之外，饲养昆虫也比饲养牲畜更低碳、更环保。例如，饲养蝗虫、蟋蟀和蠕虫等，比饲养牲畜会减少 90%的甲烷排放。

　　《卫报》称，在全球80%的国家中，目前已知1000多种昆虫可以吃。在热带地区，昆虫的个头更大，也容易养。2008年，粮农组织曾就食用昆虫问题在泰国举行会议。2013年，该组织还将就此举行世界大会。

1 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

2 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。

3 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

4 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

5 locusts   

n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树

参考例句：

• a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
• In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。