本集内容

Climate change: Islands at risk 气候变化：英国尤伊斯特群岛处境堪忧

学习要点

有关 “climate change（气候变化）” 的词汇

边看边答

What kind of weather are these islands exposed to?

文字稿

On the edge of the Atlantic, islands which in parts seem as much water as they are land. Experts say the Uists [in the UK] are on the front line of climate change… and some of those who call this home are already adapting to their shifting landscape.

坐落在大西洋边缘的这些岛屿，一部分看起来已经水陆相间。专家指出，英国尤伊斯特群岛处于气候变化的最前线，这里的部分岛民已经在为适应不断变化的环境做出改变。

Donald MacPhee, crofter
We seem to be getting a lot more rain – very unpredictable, whereas back in my father’s days you could guarantee that you’d have plenty of dry weather in August, September. But now it’s very unpredictable.

唐纳德·麦克菲       家庭小农场主
“我们这里的降雨量似乎更多了，非常变幻莫测，在我父亲的年代，八、九月份的天气总是会很干燥。但现在则变得难以捉摸。”

And that’s not the only challenge facing these islands which are so exposed to wet and stormy weather.

但是这些岛屿所面临的挑战不止于此，还包括潮湿的气候和暴风雨。

Professor Stewart Angus, Coastal Ecologist, NatureScot
A lot of the land actually lies below the level of the sea for much of the tidal cycle. Secondly, you have rising sea levels. Thirdly, you have rising rainfall in winter. And you have the difficulty in a very low-lying environment of getting rid of that water.

斯图尔特·安格斯教授       自然苏格兰（NatureScot）海岸生态学家
“在潮汐周期大部分时间，很多陆地其实都位于海平面以下。其次，海平面在上升。第三，冬天降雨量增加。另外，在非常低洼的环境中很难排出这些水。”

The airport here provides a lifeline service to islanders. A million pounds has been spent on the latest work to protect the runway, which ends just metres from the shore.

这里的机场是岛民与外界联系的命脉。最新的工程耗资一百万英镑，以保护距离海岸仅数米远的跑道。

Lorna Gordon, BBC Scotland correspondent
This low-lying watery landscape is vulnerable to changes in our climate – with predictions that the sea level here could rise by as much as half a metre over the next few decades.

洛娜·戈登       BBC驻苏格兰通讯员
“这个低洼多水的环境很容易受到气候变化的影响。据预测，未来几十年内，这里的海平面可能会上升半米之多。”

At the islands’ arts centre, a visual reminder of what the long-term effects could be.

在岛屿艺术中心建筑上，这条线形象地展现了气候变化可能带来的长期影响。

Andy Mackinnon, Taigh Chearsabhagh Arts Centre
So, the line represents a nominal level that the sea will rise to. I hope that it does make people think about what we’re doing.

安迪·戈登       Taigh Chearsabhagh 艺术中心
“所以，这条线象征性地代表海平面将会上升到的水平。我希望这能促使大家思考我们的所作所为。”

And from the children here, out taking care of their local beach, messages in English and Gaelic of their hopes and fears are being sent to the climate summit in Glasgow.

这里的孩子们正在打扫当地的海滩，用英语和盖尔语向格拉斯哥气候峰会传达了他们的希望和担忧。

Stop sea levels rising. We could be under the water soon.

“请阻止海平面上升。我们可能很快就会被海水淹没。”

These small islands, hoping for big commitments from world leaders to mitigate the worst that climate change might bring.

这些小岛上的居民希望世界领导人作出重大承诺，减轻气候变化可能带来的最坏后果。

词汇

front line 前线，第一线

unpredictable 变幻莫测的

challenge 挑战，困难

vulnerable 易受影响的，脆弱的

mitigate 减轻，缓和（危害）

问题答案

These islands are exposed to wet and stormy weather.