VOA科学技术2024--Deforestation, Severe Weather Worsen Disasters in Indonesia

Deforestation, Severe Weather Worsen Disasters in Indonesia

　　The heavy rains and flooding in early March destroyed homes and killed people in West Sumatra. It marked the latest deadly natural disaster in Indonesia.

　　Government officials blamed the floods and landslides¹ on heavy rainfall. But environmental groups say the disaster is the latest example of deforestation and ignoring the environment.

　　Indonesian Forum² for the Environment is an Indonesian environmental rights group. The group said the disaster happened because of extreme weather events and an "ecological³ crisis." It said in a statement, "If the environment continues to be ignored, then we will continue to reap ecological disasters."

　　Indonesia is home to the world's third-largest rainforest. But since 1950, more than 74 million hectares of rainforest have been destroyed. That is an area twice the size of Germany.

　　Global Forest Watch is a website that follows world forests in real time. It says Indonesia has been cutting trees and burning forests to clear land for mining and products like palm oil, paper, and rubber.

　　The Southeast Asian nation is the biggest producer of palm oil. It is one of the largest exporters of coal and a top producer of a product used in paper called pulp⁴. It also exports oil, gas, rubber, and other resources.

　　Additionally, Indonesia has one of the world's largest reserves of nickel. It is an important metal used in goods needed in green energy products like electric vehicles and solar panels.

　　The Global Carbon Project is an organization that follows planet-warming greenhouse gas production. It says Indonesia is one of the largest producers of these gases due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.

　　The World Bank, an international financial organization, also says Indonesia could greatly see the effects of climate change. Those effects include floods, dry weather, sea level rise, increasing temperatures, and unusual rainfall.

　　In recent years, the country has already seen the effects of climate change. Those effects include heavier rain during the wet season and more fires during a longer dry season.

　　Aida Greenbury is a sustainability expert who studies Indonesia. She said forests can help reduce the effects of some extreme weather events.

　　For example, plants can slow flooding by taking in rainwater and reducing erosion. In the dry season, plants release water which can help deal with the effects of dry weather, including fires. But when forests disappear, so do these helpful effects.

　　A 2017 study reported that deforestation can cause soil erosion because unprotected soil is removed by rainfall. And harvesting crops can cause soil to become denser⁵. That can cause rain to run over the surface of the ground instead of entering underground reservoirs.

　　The research also said that erosion can increase the amount of soil in rivers, which can increase flood risks.

　　After the deadly floods in March, West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansharullah said there were strong signs of illegal tree-cutting in areas affected⁶ by floods and landslides.

　　Experts and environmental activists⁷ have pointed⁸ to deforestation worsening disasters in other areas of Indonesia as well. In Papua, deforestation was partly blamed for floods and ground landslides that killed over a hundred people in 2019.

　　There has been some progress. In 2018, Indonesian President Joko Widodo paused new permits for palm oil plantations⁹ for three years. And the rate of deforestation slowed between 2021 and 2022, government data showed.

　　But experts warn that it is unlikely deforestation in Indonesia will stop anytime soon. They say this as the government continues to move forward with new mining and structural¹⁰ projects.

　　President-elect Prabowo Subianto is set to take office in October. He has promised to continue Widodo's policy of development. The development policy includes mining and other projects that are all linked to deforestation.

　　Activists also warn that environmental protections in Indonesia are weakening. That includes a new law that removes an article of the law to protect part of the forests from development.

　　Arie Rompas is an Indonesia-based forestry¹¹ expert at Greenpeace, an environment protection organization. He said, "The removal of that article makes us very worried (about deforestation) for the years to come."

　　Words in This Story

　　reap – v. to get (something, such as a reward) as a result of something that you have done

　　ecology – n. a science that deals with the relationships between groups of living things and their environments

　　reserve – n. a supply of something that is stored so that it can be used at a later time

　　fossil fuels – n. a fuel (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) that is formed in the earth from dead plants or animals

　　sustainability – adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources

　　erosion – n. the gradual destruction of something by natural forces (such as water, wind, or ice)

1 landslides   

山崩( landslide的名词复数 )； （山坡、悬崖等的）崩塌； 滑坡； （竞选中）一方选票占压倒性多数

参考例句：

• Landslides have cut off many villages in remote areas. 滑坡使边远地区的许多村庄与外界隔绝。
• The storm caused landslides and flooding in Savona. 风暴致使萨沃纳发生塌方和洪灾。

2 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

3 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

4 pulp   

n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆

参考例句：

• The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.这西瓜瓤儿太肉了。
• The company manufactures pulp and paper products.这个公司制造纸浆和纸产品。

5 denser   

adj. 不易看透的, 密集的, 浓厚的, 愚钝的

参考例句：

• The denser population necessitates closer consolidation both for internal and external action. 住得日益稠密的居民，对内和对外都不得不更紧密地团结起来。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• As Tito entered the neighbourhood of San Martino, he found the throng rather denser. 蒂托走近圣马丁教堂附近一带时，发现人群相当密集。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 plantations   

n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句

10 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

11 forestry   

n.森林学；林业

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。
• Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。