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亚马逊热带雨林位于南美洲的亚马逊盆地，是全球最大及物种最多的热带雨林，被人们誉为“地球之肺”。而如今，这个对生命最重要的器官却因人们伐林取木或开辟牧场农田而遭到损坏。假如“肺”消失了，我们的地球将如何呼吸？ 正文 Amazon deforestation report is major setback for Brazil ahead of climate talks 气候会谈之前，亚马逊森林砍伐报告是巴西的主要阻碍 Report showing 16% increase in tree destruction underscores climate threat and is a disappointing result for government efforts to combat deforestation 报告显示，森林毁坏增长16%。这凸显出气候变化威胁，同时，对于努力打击森林砍伐的政府来说，此结果令人失望。
亚马逊热带丛林森林砍伐鸟瞰图，该地位于巴西朗多尼亚州首府韦柳港的博姆·富图罗国家森林（Bom Futuro National Forest） Trees covering an area more than seven times the territory of New York City have been cleared in the Brazilian Amazon over the past year, in a major setback for government efforts to combat deforestation. 去年，相当于七个纽约市面积大小的巴西亚马逊森林覆盖地被砍伐，使得政府打击毁林的努力付诸东流。 Half of tree species in the Amazon at risk of extinction，say scientists. 科学家表示，亚马逊热带丛林一半的树种濒临灭绝。 The grim statistics from Brazil’s environment ministry, which were released on Thursday, underscore the growing climate threat posed by deforestation ahead of a United Nations conference in Paris that aims to reduce global carbon emissions. 旨在减少全球碳排放的巴黎联合国气候大会召开之前，巴西环境部门于周四发布的严峻的统计数据显示，森林滥砍滥伐造成了日益凸显的气候威胁。 Satellite data revealed that 5,831 square kilometers of land was cut down or burned in the Brazilian Amazon in year to 1 August: a 16% increase on the destruction of the previous 12 months. 卫星数据显示，截止今年8月1号，巴西亚马逊热带丛林有5831平方千米的林地遭到砍伐或者烧毁。与过去一年相比，遭毁坏的林地面积增加了16%。 This is the second acceleration in three years, following almost a decade of impressive declines. That suggests the state’s efforts – which include high-tech monitoring, stiffer financial penalties and boots on the ground – are having a diminishing impact. 森林砍伐曾以引人瞩目的速度持续下降了近十年，但此数据是近三年来的第二次增长。这就意味着该国的努力（包括高科技检测、严厉的经济处罚和实地考察政策）的影响日趋式微。 Going into the Paris conference, that is bad news for Brazil and a worrying trend for the planet. Deforestation accounts for about 15% of greenhouse gas emissions. 在巴黎气候大会召开前夕，这对巴西是个坏消息，对全球是个令人担忧的趋势。森林砍伐造成15%的温室气体排放量。 The increase is the result of weaker government regulation, particularly the relaxation of the Forest Code; dams, roads and other infrastructure projects; the growing strength of the agricultural lobby; and the faltering economy, which is driving more people to illegally log timber and clear land for cattle and crops. 政府监管力度的减弱，尤其是放开《森林法典》造成了森林破坏的增长；其他原因还有：水坝，道路以及其他基建工程的建设；日益增强的农业游说势力；以及衰退的经济形势，将迫使更多的人非法伐木取材，为喂养牲畜和种植庄稼而进行开荒。 Environment minister Izabella Teixeira acknowledged the figures were worse than expected. 巴西环境部长伊莎贝拉·特谢拉承认，这些数据比我们预计的要糟糕得多。 “It was a surprise, particularly the increase in Mato Grosso,” she said in reference to the state that has long been on the frontline of forest clearance. “Pressure for more logging is again strong and coming from agriculture and livestock activities.“这样的增长令人震惊，特别是在马托格罗索州，”她提到该州在森林砍伐方面一直首当其冲。“伐木取材的增多带来的压力再次变大，这压力源于农业和家畜饲养活动。” Mato Grosso is the biggest grain producing state in Brazil. Deforestation also rose in Rond?nia and Amazonas. These areas have been the focus of operations against illegal loggers by public prosecutors and federal police. But despite a flurry of arrests, investigators admit that the system of monitoring is undermined by corruption and legal loopholes. 马托格罗索州是巴西最大的粮食生产地。朗多尼亚州和亚马逊州的森林砍伐也在增长。这些地区已成为检察官和联邦警察打击非法伐木的焦点地区。然而，调查人员表示，尽管进行了疾风骤雨的抓捕行动，但监控体系仍因为腐败和一些法律漏洞受到破坏。 Government officials stress the overall improvement in the past decade. Average rates of deforestation over the past four years have fallen by 80% compared to the peak in 2004. This is a far better trend than those in Amazonian countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, or other nations with giant forests, such as Indonesia or Russia. 政府官员则强调在过去十年中的整体改善。相比2004年的（砍伐）峰值，过去四年的平均森林砍伐率已降低80%。与亚马逊流域国家（如秘鲁，玻利维亚和厄尔多瓜）以及其他拥有丰富森林资源的国家（如印度尼西亚、俄罗斯）的情况相比，这已是一个非常好的趋势了。 Brazil, which is home to 65% of the Amazon forest, is committed to zero illegal deforestation by 2030, though conservationists say much of the Amazon will have been cleared by then. 拥有65%亚马逊雨林的巴西，承诺到2030年将实现零例非法伐木，尽管自然资源保护论者表示到那时亚马逊的大部分森林都已被伐殆尽。 The impact of deforestation is not limited to carbon emissions. Earlier this month, Researchers warned that 57% of the 15,000 Amazonian tree species – including Brazil nut, wild cacao and a?ai – face extinction at current rates of land clearance. 森林砍伐带来的影响不仅限于碳排放。本月初，研究人员曾发出警告，按照目前的开荒速度，亚马逊河流域的15000树种中，包括巴西胡桃，野生可可和巴西莓在内的57%的树种都濒临灭绝。 On Friday, international conservation groups called on Brazil to step up its fight against illegal land clearance and to provide better incentives for sustainable production and forest restoration. 周五，国际环保组织呼吁巴西加大打击非法垦荒的力度，并为可持续生产和植被恢复提供更好的激励机制。 “On the eve of climate change talks in Paris, these figures provide a stark reminder that the war on deforestation is far from won,” said Damian Fleming, head of Amazon programmes for the World Wildlife Fund. “巴黎气候变化会谈前夕，这些数字明明白白地提醒着我们，对森林砍伐的战争还远未胜利”，世界野生生物基金会亚马逊项目负责人达米安·弗莱明如是说。 “Deforestation continues to erode the world’s most important biome for biodiversity, and remains a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The Brazilian government should boost efforts to protect the country’s irreplaceable forests.” “森林砍伐在不断侵蚀世界上最重要的生物多样性群落区，同时也是温室气体排放的主要来源。巴西政府应加大力度，保护本国独一无二的森林”。 外媒简介 《卫报》是英国的全国性综合内容日报, 是一张自由民主派的报纸，代表左翼，读者多是知识界和年轻人。在欧洲知识界，《卫报》的影响力超过了任何一张报纸。 报纸严肃和独立精神的定位也从创刊者泰勒开始。泰勒确立了《卫报》成功传承的三大传统：精确完整的报道标准；关注及服务社团的商业利益；绝对独立自主的立场，不受党派政治领导人左右。 学习笔记 【重点词汇】 【setback】n.挫折，失败，退步 Amazon deforestation report is major setback for Brazil ahead of climate talks 气候会谈之前，亚马逊森林砍伐报告是巴西的主要阻碍 【underscore】v.强调；划线于……下 Report showing 16% increase in tree destruction underscores climate threat and is a disappointing result for government efforts to combat deforestation 报告显示，森林毁坏增长16%。这凸显出气候变化威胁，同时，对于努力打击森林砍伐的政府来说，此结果令人失望。 【diminishing】adj.逐渐缩小的，衰减的 That suggests the state’s efforts – which include high-tech monitoring, stiffer financial penalties and boots on the ground – are having a diminishing impact. 这就意味着该国的努力（包括高科技检测、严厉的经济处罚和实地考察政策）的影响日趋式微。 【on the eve of】在……前夕 On the eve of climate change talks in Paris, these figures provide a stark reminder that the war on deforestation is far from won. 巴黎气候变化会谈前夕，这些数字明明白白地提醒着我们，对森林砍伐的战争还远未胜利。 【be limited to】仅限于 The impact of deforestation is not limited to carbon emissions. 森林砍伐带来的影响不仅限于碳排放。 【land clearance】开荒 International conservation groups called on Brazil to step up its fight against illegal land clearance. 国际环保组织呼吁巴西加大打击非法垦荒的力度。 【知识拓展】 【《联合国气候变化框架公约》】 《联合国气候变化框架公约》（United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change）是联合国环境与发展大会通过的世界第一个为全面控制温室气体排放，以应对全球气候变暖给人类经济和社会带来不利影响的国际公约。《公约》规定缔约方应采取措施限制温室气体排放，同时向发展中国家提供资金以支付发展中国家履行《公约》所需增加的费用，并采取一切可行的措施促进和方便有关技术转让的进行。 【世界野生生物基金会】 世界野生生物基金会(World Wildlife Fund International)，现在更名为世界自然基金会(World Wide Fund for Nature)。世界上最大的从事自然和野生动物保护的国际组织。成立于1961年，总部设在瑞士格兰德。 其宗旨在于促使人们认识破坏自然生态系统在气候变化、水土流失以及导致干旱和洪水泛滥等方面可能造成的严重后果。 翻译：谢晓羽 校对&策划：戴秀平
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