VOA慢速英語：研究稱污染是全球頭號殺手

Pollution Is the World’s Number One Killer

研究稱污染是全球頭號殺手

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

一項新的研究將污染確定為全球頭號殺手。

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.

研究組織者表示，污染造成的過早死亡人數超過了戰(zhàn)爭、恐怖主義、自然災害、吸煙以及疾病。研究人員所說的過早死亡是指在人口平均死亡年齡之前死亡，這種死亡大部分是可以預防的。

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

這項研究報告發(fā)表在《柳葉刀》醫(yī)學雜志上。

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.

研究人員考察了封閉式建筑內部和我們周遭環(huán)境的污染水平。他們估計2015年污染造成了大約9百萬人死亡，這一數字占據了全球死亡人數的六分之一。

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協助起草了這份報告。他說：“污染威脅著基本人權，例如生命權、健康、福利待遇、安全工作以及對兒童和最脆弱群體的保護。”

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.

報告稱，絕大多數與污染有關的死亡事件發(fā)生在發(fā)展中國家。研究人員稱，這些國家的領導人更關心打造經濟和公共服務，而不是環(huán)境管理。

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

一些受影響最為嚴重的國家包括孟加拉國、中國、海地、印度、巴基斯坦、朝鮮以及南蘇丹。

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)說，污染跟經濟發(fā)展緩慢有關，不分窮國富國。

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."

他說：“財政部長們仍然堅持著這樣一種荒誕的說法，那就是工業(yè)污染和發(fā)展只能二選一。人們沒有意識到，生病者或死亡者無法對經濟做出貢獻，他們需要接受照顧。”

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.

報告指出，每年有9百萬人過早死亡只是保守估計，實際數字可能會高得多。

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.

世界銀行一項單獨的研究表明，減少污染必須成為最高目標。它說，解決這個問題，就能找到其它危機的解決方案，包括營養(yǎng)不良和地球表面溫度升高。

I'm Jonathan Evans.

喬納森·埃文斯報道。