环境污染:长期展望

Environmental Pollution:A Long-term Perspective

现在世界上正在发生全球性的前所未有的环境污染。污染的发展趋势出现了两个不祥之兆:第一,正在大量并日渐增多地向环境中排放某些化学品——主要来自燃烧矿物燃料——它们正在全球性地改变自然生态系统;第二,人类正在日渐增加使用与向环境中排放农药及其它有毒物质。从二次大战前的“污水与下脚料”问题发展成现在的全球性污染,这是对人类社会进行工业化与发展的严肃挑战。过去实行的污染控制法规只能部分解决污染问题,为了整治几十年来积累的环境污染,人类需要进行几次大规模的社会与技术转换。现在的全球性污染与整个经济发展、现代技术、生活习惯、

Today,the global environmental pollution grows in two ominous directions:first,toward large and increasing release of certain chemicals——principally from burning fossil fuels——that are now significantly altering the natural systems on a global scale;and second,toward steady growth in the use and release to the environment of innume- rable biocidal products and toxic substances.The author presents the state of global consumption of fossil fuels, biocidal products and toxic materials and the release of hazardous chemicals such as CO_2,CH_4,SO_2,NOx,CFCs, DDT and PCBs to the environment by man in the past 20 years.These materials have caused a series of environ- mental problems.The major concerns include greenhouse effect,acid rain and decrease of O_3 in the ozone layer. All of them affect the entire environment of the world.In order to leave a suitable living environment with future generations,the author calls on governments to prepare treaties as soon as possible and take joint actions to pro- tect our common environment.