Loss of wildlife threatens food supplies – UN
The 'collective failure' of the world to stop environmental degradation could cut off water supplies, push up food prices and even cause wars, the United Nations has warned
世界的 '集體失敗' 去停止環境惡化，可能切斷用水供應，推高食品價格，和甚至導致戰爭，聯合國已發出警告
By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent
Published: 5:23PM BST 10 May 2010
Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the UN, said the "collective failure" of the world to address biodiversity loss could have implications for food and water supplies. Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES聯合國秘書長潘基文說，世界的“集體失敗”去對付生物多樣性的喪失，可能影響糧食和用水的供應。照片：法新社/ Getty圖像
The latest report on global biodiversity gives a more bleak picture than ever before of the state of the natural environment. In the last 35 years there has been a 30 per cent decline in the number of mammals, birds and other vertebrates on the planet, while the human population has doubled. It is impossible to count the loss of plants and insects because there are so many, but scientists fear millions of species could have been lost before they are even discovered.
最新的全球生物多樣性報告，對自然環境的狀態提供一個比以往任何時候更淒涼的畫面。在過去的35年裡，已有30%在地球上的哺乳類動物、鳥類和其牠脊椎動物數量的下降，而人類的人口卻已增加一倍。因為有那麼多，它是難以數算植物和昆蟲的損失，但科學家擔心有數以百萬計的物種可能已經失去，甚至在它們被發現之前。
Already major 'tipping points' are being crossed that will catapult the world into further irreversible loss, such as the decline of the Amazon rainforest, Arctic tundra and coral reefs.
已經主要的'引爆點'正被相交，那將猛投世界進入進一步不可逆轉的損失，例如亞馬遜熱帶雨林、北極苔原和珊瑚礁的減少。
Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General of the UN, said the loss of wildlife is already being felt by poor people who rely on the plants and animals in their immediate area for food.
聯合國秘書長潘基文表示，野生動物的損失已經被窮人感受到，他們在他們的直接區域依靠植物和動物得到食物。
But he said the developed world will also suffer as fish stocks decline, fertile land becomes desert and food prices rise. Cure for diseases that are yet to be discovered could be lost forever. The fight for natural resources, as water sources dry up, could even cause major conflict.
但他說發達國家亦將蒙受魚類資源減少的損失，肥沃的土地變成沙漠和食品價格上漲。尚未被發現的疾病治愈方法可能永遠失去。為自然資源的戰爭，因為水源枯竭，甚至可能導致重大衝突。
"The consequences of this collective failure, if it is not corrected quickly, will be severe for all of us," said Mr Ban. "Biodiversity underpins the functioning of the ecosystems on which we depend for food and fresh water, health and recreation, and protection from natural disasters. Its loss also affects us culturally and spiritually. This may be more difficult to quantify but it is nonetheless essential to our wellbeing."
“在這集體失敗的後果，如果不被迅速糾正，對我們所有人將會是嚴重，”潘基文說。 “生物多樣性鞏固生態系統的功能，在那上面我們賴以為生的食物和淡水、健康和娛樂、以及預防自然災害。它的損失亦文化地和心靈地影響到我們，這可能是更難以量化，但它對我們的幸福仍然是必要的。“
The report, that involved thousands of scientists from more than 100 countries, confirmed that the world will fail to meet a UN target to halt biodiversity loss by this year.
該報告涉及來自 100多個國家的數以千計科學家，確認世界將未能達到聯合國的目標，在今年去遏制生物多樣性的喪失。
The Convention on Biodiversity, that will bring together Governments to discuss the issue in Japan later this year, will decide whether to set up a new organisation similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to address the problem.
Scientists have already warned that the rate of extinction is 1,000 times the natural rate and warned that biodiversity loss is as important as global warming. Many fear the world could be heading towards its sixth mass extinction.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7705980/Loss-of-wildlife-threatens-food-supplies-UN.html
多謝Sammi提供資料：
專家警告生物將大滅絕
2010-05-12
聯合國環境規劃署周一發表《全球生物多樣性展望》報告，報告顯示全球生物多樣性急促減少的趨勢並無放緩，地球或正經歷第六次生物大滅絕，而人類活動是導致生物大滅絕的主因之一。
英國自然歷史博物館專家羅伯特指出，過去地球曾歷五次大規模生物滅絕事件，例如約六千萬年前導致恐龍絕種，有關情況通常受隕石撞擊等自然因素影響。但他警告，人類活動或正導致史上第六次生物大滅絕。
他表示，正常進化過程中亦會物種滅絕的情況，但現在物種滅絕速度過快，相信是受人類活動影響。多樣物種為人類提供食物等資源，生物多樣性更可幫助人類防控乾旱和洪水等自然災害，亦有助於應對氣候變化。若不加強保護生物多樣性，人類最終將身受其害。
http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/content_in/2010/05/12/110064.asp
聯合國糧農組織警告糧食作物多樣性面臨威脅
全球20%動物物種即將消失 “第六次大滅絕”開始？
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