Hundreds of Thousands Rally Across Australia, Asia Against Climate Change
VOA News｜Science & Health
September 20, 2019 04:18 AM Reuters (source)
Hundreds of Thousands Rally Across Australia, Asia Against Climate Change
數十萬人為對抗氣候變遷集會，規模橫跨澳洲、亞洲
September 20, 2019 04:18 AM
Reuters (The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
SYDNEY / BANGKOK —
Thousands of students took to the streets of Australia and other Asia-Pacific countries Friday to kick off a global strike demanding world leaders gathering for a U.N. climate summit adopt urgent measures to stop an environmental catastrophe.
"We didn't light it, but we're trying to fight it," read one sign carried by a student in Sydney, as social media posts showed huge demonstrations around the country, including outback towns like Alice Springs.
"The oceans are rising and so are we," read another sign held by a protester wearing school uniform in Melbourne.
Protests inspired by the 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg are planned in about 150 countries Friday as people rally to demand governments take immediate action to limit the harmful effects of manmade climate change.
Rally at UN headquarters
The strike will culminate in New York when Thunberg, who has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her climate activism, will spearhead a rally at the United Nations headquarters.
Thunberg noted the "huge crowd" in Sydney in a tweet, which she said would set the standard as the strikes moved across Asia, Europe and Africa.
By early afternoon, the Sydney protesters were overflowing out of a 34-hectare (84-acre) open space in the city. Similar crowds were reported in Brisbane and other state capitals.
Organizers estimate more than 300,000 protesters took to Australian streets in what would be the largest demonstrations the country had seen since the Iraq War began in 2003.
Protests were staged in 110 towns and cities across Australia, with organizers demanding government and business commit to a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
School Strike 4 Climate said 265,000 protesters turned out at demonstrations in seven Australian cities alone. The largest crowd was an estimated 100,000 in Melbourne, followed by 80,000 in Sydney.
Danielle Porepilliasana, a Sydney high school student, had a blunt message for politicians like Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, who told parliament Thursday that students should stay in class.
"World leaders from everywhere are telling us that students need to be at school doing work," she said, wearing anti-coal earrings. "I'd like to see them at their parliaments doing their jobs for once."
Rising seas
The U.N. summit brings together world leaders to discuss climate change mitigation strategies, such as transitioning to renewable energy sources from fossil fuels.
The issue is vital to low-lying Pacific islands, which have repeatedly asked wealthier nations to do more to prevent rising sea levels.
Children in the Solomon Islands rallied on the shoreline wearing traditional grass skirts and carrying wooden shields in solidarity with the global movement.
In Thailand, more than 200 young people stormed into the Environment Ministry and dropped to the ground feigning death as they demanded government action on climate change.
"This is what will happen if we don't stop climate change now," said 21-year-old strike organizer Nanticha Ocharoenchai.
The Thai Environment Ministry's deputy permanent secretary, Adisorn Noochdumrong, supported the students.
"This is how the young people express their concerns, which we deem as a good sign and not at all a nuisance," he said.
Marching in heavy smog
In Palangka Raya, in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province, youths carrying placards marched through heavy smog caused by forest fires.
In the eastern Indian city of Kolkata around 25 school children handed out flyers at busy bus terminals and held placards that read "Save Our Planet. Save Our World."
"This is the only planet we have. We wanted to stand for it before we went to school for the day," one of the children said.
No protests were authorized in China, the world's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, but Zheng Xiaowen of the China Youth Climate Action Network said Chinese youth would take action one way or another.
"Chinese youth have their own methods," she said. "We also pay attention to the climate and we are also thinking deeply, interacting, taking action, and so many people are very conscientious on this issue."
Global warming caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels has already led to droughts and heat waves, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and floods, scientists say.
Carbon emissions climbed to a record high last year, despite a warning from the U.N.-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October that output of the gases must be slashed over the next 12 years to stabilize the climate.
Organizers said demonstrations would take different forms around the world, but all aim to promote awareness of climate change and demand political action to curb contributing factors.
數千位學生於週五（編按：2019 年 9 月 20 日）走上澳洲（Australia）及其他亞太（Asia-Pacific）國家的街頭，為全球性罷工展開序幕(kick off)。他們要求目前齊聚於聯合國（United Nations，簡稱 U.N.）參加氣候高峰會(summit，註 1)的各國領袖採取(adopt，註 2)緊急措施(measure)以阻止一場環境浩劫(catastrophe，註 3)的發生。
雪梨（Sydney）當地學生所舉的標語牌寫到：「氣候變遷不是我們引起的，但我們正試圖對抗它。」社群媒體(social media)的貼文(post)顯示了全國各地大規模的示威活動，其中像愛麗斯泉市（Alice Springs）等內陸(outback)城鎮也包括在內。
墨爾本（Melbourne）當地由身穿校服的抗議者所舉的標語牌寫到：「海平面正在上升，我們也在崛起。」
抗議活動(protest)將於週五（編按：2019 年 9 月 20 日）在約莫 150 個國家進行。這些抗議主要受到 16 歲瑞典（Swedish）行動主義者格蕾塔．通貝里（Greta Thunberg）啟發(inspire，註 4)。人們聚集(rally)在一起，要求政府立即採取行動，以控制人為(manmade)氣候變遷造成的有害影響。
在聯合國總部集會
罷工(strike)活動預計將在通貝里於紐約（New York）聯合國總部帶領(spearhead，註 6)集會時達到巔峰(culminate in . . .)。通貝里因為對氣候變遷議題的關注與行動而受到諾貝爾和平獎（Nobel Peace Prize）提名(nominate，註 5)。
通貝里在推特貼文(tweet)中提及(note)雪梨的罷工活動湧現「大批群眾」。她認為這將為橫跨亞洲（Asia）、歐洲（Europe）以及非洲（Africa）各地的罷工活動樹立標準(standard，註 7)。
雪梨的抗議者早在午後就擠滿(overflow)城市裡 34 公頃（ 84 英畝）的公共空間。根據報導，類似的群眾也出現在布里斯本（Brisbane）和其他州府。
主辦單位(organizer)估計有超過 30 萬的抗議者走上(take to . . .)澳洲街頭。這是自 2003 年伊拉克戰爭（Iraq War）爆發之後，該國規模最大的示威活動(demonstration，註 8)。
抗議活動在橫跨澳洲 110 個城鎮舉行。主辦單位要求政府和企業承諾在 2030 年達到碳排放量(emission，註 9)為零的目標。
為氣候變遷罷課（School Strike 4 Climate，SS4C）團體表示，光是在澳洲 7 個城市的示威活動就有 26 萬 5000 位抗議者到場(turn out)。規模最大的群眾出現在墨爾本，約 10 萬人；其次為(followed by . . .)在雪梨的 8 萬人。
雪梨的高中生丹妮爾．波雷皮莉亞莎娜（Danielle Porepilliasana）向括澳洲財政部長（Finance Minister）馬提亞斯．科爾曼（Mathias Cormann）在內的政治人物表達了直率的(blunt，註 10)意見。這些政治人物曾於週四（編按：2019 年 9 月 19 日）向國會(parliament)表示，學生應該待在教室。
「世界各地的領袖告訴我們學生必須待在學校學習。」她戴著反煤(anti-coal)耳環說到：「我希望能至少看到一次(for once)他們在國會做著該做的事的樣子。」
海平面持續上升
聯合國高峰會讓世界各國的領袖齊聚一堂，一同討論減緩(mitigation，註 11)氣候變遷的策略，例如在能源使用上從化石燃料(fossil fuel)轉變至(transition to . . .，註 12)再生能源(renewable energy)。
這項議題對於低窪的(low-lying)太平洋島嶼（Pacific Islands）而言相當重要(vital)。這些地區的居民一而再地(repeatedly)請求較富裕的國家對預防海平面持續上升投入更多行動。
所羅門群島（Solomon Islands）的孩童身穿傳統草裙、手持木製盾牌，在海岸線集結，展現與全球行動的團結一致(solidarity with . . .，註 13)。
泰國（Thailand）則有超過 200 位年輕人衝進(storm into . . .)環境部（Environment Ministry），以臥倒在地偽裝(feign)死亡的方式要求政府對氣候變遷的議題有所行動。
「我們如果現在不阻止氣候變遷，到時候的下場就會是這樣。」21 歲的抗議活動主辦人南蒂查．奧查洛奇凱（Nanticha Ocharoenchai）指出。
泰國環境部副常任秘書長（deputy permanent secretary）阿迪頌．努杜榮（Adisorn Noochdumrong）對學生的舉動表示支持。
「這是年輕人表達(express，註 14)他們擔憂(concern)的方式。我們認為(deem)這是個好兆頭，完全不視為麻煩(nuisance)。」他說明。
於濃霧中遊行
帕朗卡拉亞（Palangka Raya）是印尼（Indonesia）中加里曼丹省（Central Kalimantan）的首府。當地年輕人手持標語牌(placard)，於森林大火所致的濃霧中遊行。
加爾各答（Kolkata）是印度東部的都市。該市約有 25 位學童於繁忙的公車總站(terminal)發放(hand out . . .)傳單，並舉著「救救我們的星球。救救我們的世界。」的標語牌。
其中一位學童說到：「這是我們僅有的星球。我們想在上學前為這星球盡一份心力(stand for . . .，註 15)。」
中國（China）是全球溫室氣體排放量來源最高的國家。該國並未批准(authorize，註 16)任何抗議活動，但青年應對氣候變化行動網絡（China Youth Climate Action Network，CYCAN）的鄭曉雯（Zheng Xiaowen）表示，中國青年無論如何(one way or another)都會採取行動(take action)。
「中國青年有他們自己的方法(method)。」她表示：「我們也關注氣候時事，也在深深地思考，並與人互動、採取行動，就和許多人一樣，對這項議題都相當認真的(conscientious，註 17)看待。」
科學家表示，燃燒化石燃料所產生的溫室氣體(greenhouse gas)會吸收熱量，進而導致全球暖化。這現象已造成乾旱(drought)、熱浪(heat wave)、冰河(glacier)融化、海平面(sea level)上升以及洪水(flood)的發生。
儘管受到聯合國支持(back，註 18)的政府間專門委員會（Intergovernmental Panel）曾在去年（編按：2018 年）10 月對氣候變遷提出警告，表示為了穩定氣候，氣體的排放量必須在未來的 12 年內大幅削減(slash，註 19)，但碳(carbon)排放量仍在去年攀升到史上新高。
主辦單位認為，全球各地的示威活動將以不同的形式呈現，但宗旨皆在提倡大眾對氣候變遷的關注，並要求以政治行動來抑制(curb，註 20)各種促成因素。
Language Notes
註 1： summit 於本文指「高峰會，領袖會議，最高級會議」；本字也常指「山頂，頂峰」
註 2： adopt 於本文指「接受；採用；採納」；本字也常指「收養；領養」；注意重音在第 2 音節
註 3： catastrophe 注意重音在第 2 音節
註 4： inspire 於本文指「啟發」；本字另可指「鼓舞，激勵」或「喚起，激起（感情、思想等）」；注意重音在第 2 音節
註 5： nominate 於本文指「（為選舉、工作、職位或榮譽）提名，推薦」；本字也常指「任命；指定」；注意重音在第 1 音節
註 6： spearhead 由名詞 "spear"「矛；槍；鏢槍」與名詞 "head"「頭部；頭腦；領導人，負責人」組成；於本文為動詞，意指「領導（攻擊、行動等）；充當 . . . . . . 的先鋒；帶頭做」；本字也可作名詞，意指「先鋒；先鋒部隊」
註 7： standard 於本文為名詞，意指「標準，水準」；本字也可作形容詞，意即「標準的；規範的；通常的」
註 8： demonstration 由動詞 "demonstrate"「示威，遊行」與名詞字尾 "-ion"「行為，狀態」組成；本字也常指「演示，示範」；注意重音在第 3 音節
註 9： emission 源於動詞 "emit"「散發；發出；放射」；注意重音在第 2 音節
註 10： blunt 於本文指「直率的；生硬的；直截了當的」；本字也常指「（鉛筆、刀等）鈍的，不鋒利的」
註 11： mitigation 由動詞 "mitigate"「使緩和；減輕」與名詞字尾 "-ion"「行為，狀態」組成；注意重音在第 3 音節
註 12： transition 於本文為動詞，指「轉變」，後可接介系詞片語 "to . . ."，意即「轉變至 . . . . . .」；本字也可作名詞，意即「轉變；過渡」；注意重音在第 2 音節
註 13： solidarity 後常接介系詞片語 "with . . ."，即「與 . . . . . . 團結一致」；注意重音在第 3 音節
註 14： express 於本文為動詞，意指「陳述；表達；表露」；本字也可作形容詞，意思是「快速的；快遞的；特快的」；注意重音在第 2 音節
註 15： stand for 於本文指「支持，主張；代表」；本片語也常指「容忍，忍受」或「（字母）是 . . . . . . 的縮寫，代表」
註 16： authorize 於本文指「批准」；本字另有「授權，委託」的意思
註 17： conscientious 源於名詞 "conscience"「良心；良知；善惡觀念」；注意重音在第 3 音節
註 18： back 於本文為動詞，意指「支持；資助，援助」；本字也可作名詞，意思是「背部，背後」，或作副詞，指「恢復原狀；返回；回到以前」或「作為答覆」
註 19： slash 於本文指「大幅削減，大幅減少（金錢、工作等）」；本字也常指「（用利器）劈，砍，劃」
註 20： curb 於本文為動詞，意指「控制；限制，約束；抑制」；本字也可作名詞，意即「控制；限制，約束；抑制」
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Check your comprehension!
Choose the BEST answer to each of the questions below. After you finish, highlight the parentheses to reveal the hidden answers.
1. ( B ) What is an effect of climate change?
(A) Burning fossil fuel.
(B) Rising sea level.
(C) High carbon emission.
(D) Greenhouse effect.
2. ( C ) According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?
(A) The United Nations is demanding politicians to take more actions.
(B) World leaders are demanding the politicians to take more actions.
(C) People are demanding world leaders to take more actions.
(D) Politicians are demanding world leaders to take more actions.
3. ( A ) Which of the following descriptions best describes strike?
(A) An act of refusing to work due to arguments with an employer.
(B) A public meeting of a large group of people, especially supporters of a particular opinion.
(C) An occasion when people show that they disagree with something by standing somewhere, shouting, carrying signs, etc.
(D) An important formal meeting between leaders of governments from two or more countries.
編譯：外語教學暨資源中心 編輯小組
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