From Grey to Green: Smokestack Cities Power to Bright Future
VOA News
November 09, 2017 9:43 PM (source)
From Grey to Green: Smokestack Cities Power to Bright Future
從灰濛濛到綠油油:煙囪城市邁向明媚的未來
November 09, 2017 9:43 PM
Reuters
LONDON — Bicycle highways, urban farms and local energy hubs — just some of the ways that yesterday's smokestack cities are turning into tomorrow's green spaces.
The Urban Transitions Alliance (UTA), a network that brings together cities in Germany, the United States and China, launched this week to help members learn regeneration tricks from each other.
"What to do with your brownfield sites, how to transition with citizens in mind, create new jobs — these cities have a lot of challenges in common," said Roman Mendle, Smart Cities program manager at ICLEI, an international association of local governments.
As up to 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are generated in urban areas, cities have to play a leading role in addressing climate change.
Experts from more than 20 countries met in Essen, Germany, this week to launch the UTA and thrash out how post-industrial cities can reinvent themselves in plans that will be submitted to the U.N. climate talks in Bonn this week.
Essen, once a coal and steel city known as Germany's "Graue Maus" (grey mouse) for its polluted air and waterways, has gained a reputation as a trailblazer for sustainability, becoming the European Commission's European Green Capital 2017.
"There is a lot of know-how in Essen on how to transition from the age of carbon to a post-carbon world," said Simone Raskob, Essen's deputy mayor and head of its environment department.
"No city can do this by itself. There are a lot of challenges," Raskob, who leads the European Green City – Essen 2017 project, told Reuters.
Experts praise Essen for cleaning up its waterways, creating green spaces and turning grimy industrial sites into dynamic cultural centers, such as the Zeche Zollverein, a towering UNESCO World Heritage site that arose from a disused coal mine.
To ease traffic congestion, Essen built Germany's first bike highway, connecting with a 100-km (62-mile) regional network.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, once a dynamo of U.S. heavy industry, has shifted from a fossil fuel-based economy, reinventing itself as a hub for green buildings innovation and clean energy.
The former steel city has been switching over to LED street lights, retro-fitting municipal buildings for energy efficiency and developing district energy initiatives.
The city will also host the largest U.S. urban farm: 23 acres (9 hectares) on a site where low-income housing once stood.
"One of the key things we have recognized is that becoming greener also brings economic benefits," said Grant Ervin, Pittsburgh's chief resilience officer.
Founding UTA members include districts of Beijing and Shijiazhuang in China; Buffalo and Cincinnati in the United States; and Dortmund in Germany.
透過建造自行車公路、都會農場在地能源中心(hub)等不同的方式,昔日的「煙囪(smokestack)城市」正逐漸轉變成(turn into . . .)未來的綠地空間。
「城市轉型(transition)聯盟(Urban Transitions Alliance, UTA)」是一個匯集了德國(Germany)、美國(the United States)和中國(China)各地城市的網絡。此聯盟從本週(編按:2017 年 11 月 5 日至 11 日)開始投入行動(launch),幫助其成員相互學習城市再造(regeneration)的秘訣(trick)。
「地方政府永續發展理事會(International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, ICLEI)」是一個由世界各國的地方政府所組成的國際協會,負責其中「聰明城市計畫(Smart Cities program)」的經理羅曼・門德(Roman Mendle)表示:「(參加計畫的)這些城市面臨了許多相同的挑戰,比方說如何處理被棄置的工業或商業用地(brownfield site),在轉型的同時亦要考量到市民需求、創造工作機會等。」(編按:"brownfield site"「棕土」又稱為 "brownfield land",此名稱最早出現於 1992 年 6 月 28 日一場由美國國會(United States Congress)之「東北和中西部聯合會(Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition)」舉行的聽證會中,用於指曾經為工業或商業用地而後被棄置的土地。這些土地可能曾被有害垃圾或汙染物汙染,但經過適當整理後可以再次使用。)
由於全球高達 70% 的溫室氣體(greenhouse gas)排放(emission)產生於都會區,因此,處理(address)氣候變遷(climate change)的議題時,(世界各地的)城市必須扮演主導的角色(play a leading role)。
來自全球超過 20 個國家的專家們於本週(編按:2017 年 11 月 5 日至 11 日)齊聚在德國埃森市(Essen),共同啟動城市轉型聯盟。他們亦會針對進入後工業時代的(post-industrial)城市如何進行自我改造(reinvent)的方案徹底討論(thrash out)。這些方案將呈遞(submit to . . .)至本週在德國波昂市(Bonn)所舉行的聯合國氣候會談(U.N. climate talks)。
從前以煤和鋼鐵業為主的埃森市,曾因空氣和水污染而被稱為德國的「灰老鼠(德語:Graue Maus;英語:grey mouse)」,但今日因作為都市永續發展(sustainability)的先鋒者(trailblazer)而贏得了聲譽(gain a reputation),進而獲選為歐洲聯盟委員會(European Commission, EC)2017 年的歐洲綠色首都(European Green Capital)代表。(編按:歐洲聯盟委員會自 2010 年起,每年會頒發「歐洲綠色首都大獎(European Green Capital Award)」給一座歐洲城市,以表揚其長期致力於環境改善和永續發展所付出的努力,並可作為歐洲其他城市的典範。)
「埃森市擁有很多實際的知識和技能(know-how),能成功把碳時代的都市轉型到後碳時代的世界。」身兼埃森市副(deputy)市長和環保部門首長的西蒙娜・拉斯科布(Simone Raskob)如此說道。
目前率領團隊進行埃森市 2017 年「歐洲綠色之都(European Green City)」計畫的拉斯科布向路透社(Reuters)表示:「沒有城市可以獨自完成再造,因為這過程當中充滿了很多挑戰。」
專家們對於埃森市自我再造的各項舉措皆表示讚賞,這些舉措包含了清理水路、開發綠地並將骯髒的(grimy)工業區轉變成生氣蓬勃的(dynamic)文化中心,例如高聳的(towering)「關稅同盟煤礦工業建築群(德語:Zeche Zollverein;英語:Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex)」即是由廢棄不用的(disused)煤礦井轉變而來,目前已成為聯合國教科文組織(UNESCO)的世界遺產(heritage)所在地。(編按:「聯合國教科文組織」全名為「聯合國教育、科學及文化組織」,英語為 "United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization",常縮寫成 "UNESCO"。)
為了緩解(ease)交通擁塞(congestion)的問題,埃森市建造了德國第一條腳踏車公路,此公路與一條 100 公里(62 英里)長的區域網絡連結(connect with . . .)。
賓夕法尼亞州的匹茲堡市
曾經是美國重工業發展的動力(dynamo)所在,匹茲堡(Pittsburgh)已從化石燃料為主的(fossil fuel-based)經濟結構自我改造成為創造綠色建築(green buildings)和發展清潔能源的中心。
(匹茲堡)這個過去曾為鋼鐵之都(steel city)的城市為了達到能源節約(energy efficiency)並發展市區能源的新措施(initiative),已改用發光二極體(Light Emitting Diode, LED)的路燈,並將市政的(municipal)建築物翻新改造(retrofit)。
此城市亦將主辦美國最大的都會農場,佔地 23 英畝(9 公頃),其地點在過去曾經是低收入(low-income)戶的住宅區。
匹茲堡的的首席復原長(chief resilience officer, CRO)格蘭特・歐文(Grant Ervin)表示:「我們體認到(都市再造的)關鍵之一在於當都市變得更環保(green)時,也會一併帶來經濟上的利益。」
城市轉型聯盟的創始成員(founding member)包括了中國的北京市(Beijing)和石家莊市(Shijiazhuang)、美國的水牛城(Buffalo)和辛辛那提市(Cincinnati),以及德國的多特蒙德市(Dortmund)。
Language Notes
hub [hʌb] (n) 中心;樞紐
smokestack [`smok͵stæk] (n)(汽船、火車、工廠的)煙囪
turn into . . . (v phr)(使)變成. . . . . .;(使)成為. . . . . .
transition [træn`zɪʃən] (n) 轉變,變遷;轉型;過渡
* 本字亦可作動詞,意即「轉變,轉換」;本新聞中可同時看到名詞(如第 2 段的 "Urban
Transitions Alliance")與動詞(如第 3 段 “how to transition with citizens in mind”)兩種用法
lunch [lɔnʧ] (v) 啟動,推出,發起;積極投入
* 本字另常指「使(新船)下水;發射(火箭)」;亦可作名詞,指「啟動儀式;發行;發表會」或「下水(船首次出航);發射(火箭首次升空)」
regeneration [rɪ͵ʤɛnə`reʃən] (n) 恢復;新生;革新;復興
* regenerate [rɪ`ʤɛnəret] (v) 革新,重建,復興
trick [trɪk] (n) 訣竅,秘訣;技巧
* 本字常見之意為「騙局;詭計」,但在本新聞中則指「訣竅,秘訣」,文意上與 "method"「方法,辦法」相近
emission [ɪ`mɪʃən] (n)(氣體、熱量、光線等的)排放,散發,射出
* emit [ɪ`mɪt] (v) 發出,射出,散發(光、雜訊、氣味或氣體)
play a leading role (v phr) 扮演主要的角色
* 本片語中的形容詞 "leading"「主要的,最重要的」可依上下文之文意代換成其他形容詞如 "essential"「必要的」或 "key"「關鍵的」等等;片語亦常搭配介系詞 "in" 使用,即 “play a leading role in . . .”「在……(某方面)扮演主要的角色」
address [ə`drɛs] (v) 處理;對付,應付
thrash out. . . . . . (v phr) 徹底討論. . . . . . (直到找到解決辦法);透過反覆商討解決. . . . . .
* 本片語之受詞若為代名詞,則置於片語之中,例如 "thrash it out"
* thrash [θræʃ] (v) 推敲,反覆研究
post-industrial [͵postɪn`dʌstriəl] (a) 後工業化的;不再依賴重工業的
reinvent [͵riɪn`vɛnt] (v)(在已有事物的基礎上)重新創造,改造
* 本字由字首 "re-"「重新,再一次」和動詞 "invent"「發明,創造」組合而成
trailblazer [`trel͵blezɚ] (n) 先驅,先鋒;開拓者,拓荒者
sustainability [sə͵stenə`bɪlɪtɪ] (n) 持續性;能維持性;永續性;永續發展
* sustain [sə`sten] (v) 保持,維持,使持續,使繼續
* sustainable [sə`stenəbḷ] (a) 能保持的;能維持的
deputy [`dɛpjətɪ] (a) 副的;代理的
* 本字也可作名詞,意指「副手;代表;代理人」
grimy [`graɪmɪ] (a) 骯髒的;汙穢的
disused [dɪs`juzd] (a) 廢棄的;閒置不用的
* disuse [dis`juz] (v) 廢棄;停止使用
* disuse [dis`jus] (n) 閒置;廢棄
congestion [kən`ʤɛsʧən] (n) 擁塞;堵塞;擠滿
* traffic congestion (n phr) 交通堵塞;塞車,堵車
dynamo [`daɪnə͵mo] (n) 動力,精力;發電機
* 本字常見的意思為「發電機」,但在本新聞中則指「發展重工業之動力來源」
initiative [ɪ`nɪʃətɪv] (n) 倡議;新措施;主動的行動
resilience [rɪ`zɪlɪəns] (n) 彈性;復原;恢復力
* resilient [rɪ`zɪlɪənt] (a) 有彈性的;能復原的;有復原力的
Check your vocabulary!
The campaign is part of a push to end Manchester's grimy industrial image and sell the city to the world as clean, green and modern.
A spokesman for the minister said these issues would be thrashed out in the coming weeks.
Another transit hub, Sunny Bay Station in Hong Kong, takes advantage of sea breezes to cool the building.
The emission of gases such as carbon dioxide should be stabilized at their present level.
Like most 6-year-olds, Mitchie is a dynamo of energy and motion.
He's begun by launching an emotive advertising campaign.
Orville and Wilbur Wright were aviation trailblazers.
Pupils of 600 schools are benefiting from a €500,000 government initiative to develop literacy skills this Christmas.
What's the trick to getting this chair to fold up?
Solar panels could be used on the new development as part of a drive towards environmental sustainability.
編譯:黃筠婷
|