VOA慢速英语2017 污染成世界头号杀手

Pollution Is the World’s Number One Killer

A new study has identified pollution as the world’s No. 1 killer.

一项新的研究将污染确定为全球头号杀手。

Study organizers say pollution is responsible for more premature deaths than war, terrorism, natural disasters, smoking and disease. By premature death, the researchers mean dying before the average age of death within a population group. Many of these deaths can be prevented.

研究组织者表示，污染造成的过早死亡人数超过了战争、恐怖主义、自然灾害、吸烟以及疾病。研究人员所说的过早死亡是指在人口平均死亡年龄之前死亡，这种死亡大部分是可以预防的。

A report on the study was published in the medical journal Lancet.

这项研究报告发表在《柳叶刀》医学杂志上。

The researchers looked at pollution levels, both inside enclosed buildings and in the world around us. They estimated that pollution killed about 9 million people in 2015. That would represent one of every six deaths worldwide.

研究人员考察了封闭式建筑内部和我们周遭环境的污染水平。他们估计2015年污染造成了大约9百万人死亡，这一数字占据了全球死亡人数的六分之一。

Karti Sandilya helped to prepare the report. He said “Pollution threatens fundamental human rights, such as the right to life, health, well-being, safe work as well as protections of children and the most vulnerable.”

Karti Sandilya协助起草了这份报告。他说：“污染威胁着基本人权，例如生命权、健康、福利待遇、安全工作以及对儿童和最脆弱群体的保护。”

The report said the large majority of pollution-related deaths take place in developing countries. The researchers say leaders in those countries are more concerned about building their economies and public services than environmental controls.

报告称，绝大多数与污染有关的死亡事件发生在发展中国家。研究人员称，这些国家的领导人更关心打造经济和公共服务，而不是环境管理。

Some of the most affected countries are Bangladesh, China, Haiti, India, Pakistan, North Korea and South Sudan.

一些受影响最为严重的国家包括孟加拉国、中国、海地、印度、巴基斯坦、朝鲜以及南苏丹。

But Richard Fuller, another writer of the report, said pollution is tied to slow economic development in both rich and poor nations.

但是理查德·富勒（Richard Fuller）说，污染跟经济发展缓慢有关，不分穷国富国。

He said “There is this myth that finance ministers still live by, that you have to let industry pollute or else you won’t develop. What people don’t realize ... people who are sick or dead cannot contribute to the economy. They need to be looked after.”

他说：“财政部长们仍然坚持着这样一种荒诞的说法，那就是工业污染和发展只能二选一。人们没有意识到，生病者或死亡者无法对经济做出贡献，他们需要接受照顾。”

The report said that 9 million premature deaths a year is only a conservative estimate. It says the actual number is likely to be much higher.

报告指出，每年有9百万人过早死亡只是保守估计，实际数字可能会高得多。

A separate study by the World Bank said reducing pollution must be a top goal. It says that solving this problem would lead to solutions to other crises, including malnutrition and rising temperatures on Earth’s surface.

世界银行一项单独的研究表明，减少污染必须成为最高目标。它说，解决这个问题，就能找到其它危机的解决方案，包括营养不良和地球表面温度升高。

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in this Story

malnutrition – n. the unhealthy condition that results from not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food : poor nutrition

myth – n. an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true

contribute – v. to supply or provide; to have a share in something

premature – adj. happening or arriving before the usual or expected time