The World is Running out of Sand 世界上的沙子将被耗尽

2018-07-16景一

中学生英语·中考指导版 2018年1期

景一

When people picture sand spread across endless beaches and deserts， they think of it as an infinite1 resource. But over-exploitation2 of global supplies of sand is damaging the environment， making communities in danger， causing shortages and promoting violent conflict.

當人们描绘一望无际的海滩上和沙漠里的沙子时，把沙子看作是一种无限的资源。但全球沙子供应的过度开发正在破坏环境、危及社会，并造成（供应）短缺，引发暴力冲突。

Sharply increasing demand， combined with unfettered3 mining4 to meet it， is creating the shortages. Plentiful evidence strongly suggests that sand is becoming increasingly scarce5 in many regions. For example， in Vietnam domestic demand for sand goes beyond the countrys total reserves. If this mismatch continues， the country may run out of construction6 sand by 2020， according to recent statements from the countrys Ministry of Construction.

暴涨的需求，加上为了满足需求而无节制地开采，造成了沙子的短缺。大量证据有力地表明，沙子在许多地区变得越来越稀少。例如，越南国内对沙子的需求量超过了国家沙子的总储量。如果这种不平衡继续下去，根据越南国家建设部最近的声明，他们国家的建筑用沙可能会在2020年消耗殆尽。

This problem is rarely mentioned in scientific discussions and has not been systemically7 studied. Media attention drew us to this issue. While scientists are making a great effort to quantify how roads and buildings affect the habitats that surround them， the impacts of extracting8 construction minerals9 such as sand and gravel10 to build those structures have been ignored.

这个问题在科学界的讨论中很少被提及，也没有被系统地研究过。媒体的关注使我们注意到这个问题。尽管科学家们正在努力量化道路和建筑物等对周围环境的影响，但人们却忽视了提取诸如沙子和砾石等建筑材料来建造这些建筑物的影响。

It is essential to understand what happens at the places where sand is mined， in order to make workable11 policies. Based on what people have already learned， its believed that it is time to develop international conventions12 to regulate sand mining， use and trade.

至关重要的是要了解在沙子开采的地方发生了什么，以制定可行的政策。根据人们已经了解到的情况，相信现在是时候制定国际公约来规范沙子开采、使用和贸易了。

Sand and gravel are now the most-extracted materials in the world， exceeding fossil13 fuels and biomass14 （measured by weight）. Sand is a key ingredient15 for concrete16， roads， glass and electronics.

沙和砾石现在是世界上开采量最大的资源，其开采量超过了化石燃料和生物燃料（按重量计量）。沙子是混凝土、道路、玻璃和电子产品的重要原料。

Sand traditionally has been a local product. However， regional shortages and sand mining bans in some countries are turning it into a globalized commodity. Its international trade value has sharply increased， almost sixfold in the last 25 years.

传统上，沙一直是就地取材。然而，一些地区的沙短缺和一些国家的采沙禁令正在使其成为一个全球化的商品。其国际贸易额猛增，在过去25年增长了将近6倍。

Today organized crime groups in India， Italy and elsewhere conduct illegal trade in soil and sand. Singapores high-volume sand imports have drawn it into disputes with Indonesia， Malaysia and Cambodia.

如今，印度、意大利和其他地方有组织的犯罪集团在进行土和沙子的非法贸易。新加坡大量进口沙子导致了与印度尼西亚、马来西亚和柬埔寨的争端。

Extensive sand extraction physically alters rivers and coastal ecosystems17. Research shows that sand mining operations are affecting a great number of animal species， including fish， dolphins， and crocodiles and so on. For example， a critically endangered crocodile found in Asian river systems is increasingly threatened by sand mining， which destroys sand banks where the animals bask18.

大范围采砂会改变河流和海岸生态系统。研究表明，采砂作业影响着许多动物物种，包括鱼类、海豚和鳄鱼等。例如，一种在亚洲的河流系统中生存的濒危鳄鱼的生存不断受到沙子开采的威胁，因为沙子开采破坏了它们晒太阳的沙滩。

Sand mining also has serious impacts on peoples livelihoods19. Beaches and wetlands buffer20 coastal communities against surging seas. Increased erosion21 resulting from extensive mining makes these communities more likely to suffer from floods and storm.

采砂也嚴重影响人们的生计。海滩和湿地为沿海地区提供了抵御汹涌大海的缓冲区。大规模的沙子开采造成侵蚀加剧，使这些地区更容易遭受洪水和风暴潮的袭击。

A recent report found that sand mining enhanced22 the impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Sri Lanka. In the Mekong Delta， sand mining is threatening the sustainability of the delta. It also is probably enhancing saltwater intrusion23 during the dry season， which threatens local communities water and food security.

最近的一份报告发现，采沙加剧了2004印度洋海啸对斯里兰卡的影响。在湄公河三角洲，沙子开采正威胁到三角洲的可持续性发展。也可能会加剧旱季的海水入侵，从而威胁当地水和粮食的安全。

Potential health impacts from sand mining are poorly characterized but it needs further study.

沙子开采对健康的潜在影响很小，但这还需要进一步研究。

Media coverage of this issue is growing， thanks to work by organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme， but the scale of the problem is not widely appreciated. Despite huge demand， sand sustainability is rarely addressed in scientific research and policy.

由于联合国环境规划署等组织的努力，媒体对这一问题的报道越来越多，但问题的严重性还未得到广泛重视。尽管有巨大的需求，但在科学研究和政策上，沙子的可持续性（开采）很少被提及。

The complexity of this problem is undoubtedly a factor. Sand is a common-pool resource—open to all， easy to get and hard to regulate. As a result， we know little about the true global costs of sand mining and consumption24.

这个问题的复杂性无疑是原因之一。沙子是一种公共资源——对所有人开放，容易获取，难以调节。因此，我们对全球采砂的成本和消耗了解甚少。

Demand will increase further as urban areas continue to expand and sea levels rise. Major international agreements such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Convention on Biological Diversity promote responsible allocation25 of natural resources， but there are no international conventions to regulate sand mining， use and trade.

随着城市区域不断扩大和海平面上升，对沙子的需求量将进一步增加。诸如《2030年可持续发展议程》和《生物多样性公约》等主要国际协定促进了对自然资源的责任分配，但没有任何国际公约来规范沙子的开采、使用和贸易。

As long as national regulations are lightly enforced， harmful effects will continue to occur. We believe that the international community needs to develop a global strategy for sand governance， along with global and regional sand budgets26. It is time to treat sand like a resource.

只要国家法规执行力度不够，不良影响就会继续发生。我们认为，国际社会需要制定全球治理沙的战略，以及全球和地区沙子的使用预算。现在是时候将沙子视为一种资源了。

Notes：

1. infinite adj. 无限的，无穷的

2. over-exploitation 过度开发

3. unfettered adj. 无拘无束的

4. mining n. 矿业；采矿

5. scarce adj. 缺乏的；稀有的

6. construction n. 建设；建筑

7. systemically adv.系统地；体系地

8. extract vt. 提取；取出

9. mineral n. 矿物

10. gravel n. 碎石；砂砾