世界节假日博览 第114期:世界防治荒漠化和干旱日

 One of the most pressing problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this causes. June 17 is officially the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It was created by the United Nations to draw attention to the seriousness of farmland and forests lost to deserts. The UN General Assembly drew up the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This long-titled initiative hopes to reverse desertification. To do this, agencies must educate poorer nations about the dangers of land degradation¹. Such education is one way to help reduce poverty and encourage sustainable development.

当今，人类面临的最紧迫问题要数荒漠化和干旱。6月17日为世界防治荒漠化和干旱日。由联合国发起，旨在提高人们对耕地森林“变沙”问题的重视程度。联合国大会还发起“拯救非洲等荒漠化或干旱严重国家”会议。希望这项倡议能够改变荒漠化问题。就土地退化问题，各机构必须对贫困国家人口进行教育。此举有助于减少贫困，开展可持续发展。

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a speech that “land degradation affects a significant portion of the Earth’s arable² lands, directly impacting the well-being³ of people and economic development of countries”. He added that: “As the population grows, and with it the demand for agriculture production, traditional systems of managing the land are collapsing⁴.” Mr. Ban said the UN must work harder to reduce poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The time has come for the international community to recognize that dry land, where nearly half of the world’s poor live, is not waste land. Rather, they are potential areas for agricultural intensification⁵ for both food and energy needs.”

联合国秘书长潘基文在演讲中表示，土地退化影响了大面积可耕土地，直接对人类生存，全球经济发展构成影响。”他补充道：“随着人口增长，农业需求量扩大，传统农业经营模式正在衰退。”称联合国必须加大扶贫力度，改善干旱地区问题。他在演讲中表示：“国际社会应意识到干旱地区不是荒原地区，近一半人口仍居住于此。在食物供给和能源需求上，干旱地区的潜力巨大。

1.arable land 耕地

例句：He had nearly a thousand acres of grazing and arable land.

他有将近1,000公顷的草场和耕地。

2.draw attention 引起注意

例句：He just wants to draw attention to the plight⁶ of the unemployed⁷.

他仅仅是想引起人们对失业者困境的关注。

3.sustainable development 可持续发展

例句：The geology and mineral resources contribute to safeguard sustainable development in economy and society.

地质矿产资源是经济和社会可持续发展的保障。

4.international community 国际社会

例句：The United Nations has appealed for help from the international community.

联合国已经呼吁国际社会提供援助。

1 degradation   

n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变

参考例句：

• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。
• Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。

2 arable   

adj.可耕的，适合种植的

参考例句：

• The terrain changed quickly from arable land to desert.那个地带很快就从耕地变成了沙漠。
• Do you know how much arable land has been desolated?你知道什么每年有多少土地荒漠化吗？

3 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

4 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

5 intensification   

n.激烈化，增强明暗度；加厚

参考例句：

• The intensification of the immunological response represents the body's natural defense. 增强免疫反应代表身体的自然保卫。 来自辞典例句
• Agriculture in the developing nations is not irreversibly committed, to a particular pattern of intensification. 发展中国家的农业并没有完全为某种集约化形式所束缚。 来自辞典例句

6 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

7 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。