副秘书长夫人的信

    我们使世界发烧：我们能为降温做点什么？
    行星地球， 我们美丽的家园，发烧了。温度还在上升， 这是由于人类的活动。使用化石性燃料生产能源、电和运输燃油、砍伐森林、向大气排放太多的二氧化碳。二氧化碳积蓄热量，造成地球温度上升。科学家告诉我们今后100年还会上升很多。这就好像地球发了烧，如同发烧对我们来说是件坏事，这对环境也很糟糕。
    由于冰川融化， 海平面上升了。即使像上海这样的大海滨城市也会淹没在波涛中。降雨方式也会改变，使一些地方遭受洪涝， 一些地方遭受干旱， 这影响着森林、沙漠和草原。许多物种会绝迹。最贫穷的地方受害最重。在非洲和中国的农村地区的许多人民将不得不面对更多的干旱、饥馑和苦难。
    而我们已开始着手给地球降温。你、你的家庭和你的社区可以帮忙来做。这仅提几个主意：你可以建立或参加一个环境俱乐部；种植和养护树木；当不需要时，记着关掉电器、暖气和空调；回收利用纸张、瓶子和塑料；使用节能灯炮；或写信给你的领导人， 请他们引进清洁车辆、公共运输工具和可再生能源。
    请你的老师给你上一堂气候变化课， 对于你能做什么你会知道得更多；从当地图书馆借一些有关的书， 或访问下述网站：www.unep.org/chinese（此中文网站，是罗红叔叔赞助的）、www.zhb.gov.cn（国家环境保护总局网站）、 www.woaihuanbao.com（本大赛官方网站）。
    对于这次比赛，我们要你发现和考虑你、你的朋友和家庭能为地球降温做些什么。然后画一幅你能为此做什么的画寄给我们。
    我们寄希望于你们！ 

联合国副秘书长 阿齐姆·施泰纳的夫人
资源非洲环保组织  执行董事
伊丽莎白·利好伊 Elizabeth Rihoy
联合国环境规划署区域合作司副司长  王之佳（译）

Dear Children 
We have given the world a fever: What can I do to help bring the temperature down!
Planet earth, our beautiful home, has a fever and is getting hotter and it’s because of the activities of people. Our use of fossil fuels to make energy - electricity and fuels for transport - and the cutting down of forests is pumping too much carbon into the air. Carbon traps heat and causes the earth temperature to rise and scientists tell us it’s going to rise quite a lot more over the next 100years. It’s as if the planet had a fever, and like a fever it’s bad for us because it’s bad for the environment.
Sea levels are already rising as the glaciers melt into the sea and even big coastal cities like Shanghai could disappear under the waves. There could be big changes in rainfall patterns, leaving some places flooded whilst others are hit by drought which will disrupt forests, deserts and grasslands and many species could become extinct. The poorest places will be hit hardest and many people in Africa and rural parts of China will have to face more droughts, famines and hardship.
But people have started working to reduce our planet fever and there are lots of things you, your family and your community can do to help. Here’s just a few ideas: you can set up or join an environmental club; plant and care for trees; turn off electrical appliances, heating and air conditioning when you don’t need them; recycle paper, bottles and plastics; use energy efficient light bulbs; or write to your leaders asking them to introduce cleaner cars, public transport and renewable energy.
You can find out more about what you can do by visiting the competition and other climate change websites, asking your teachers to give you a special lesson on climate change; getting books from your local library. 
For this competition we want you to find out and think about what you, your friends and family could do to help bring down our planet’s fever. Then create and sent us a picture that shows what you can do. 
And don’t forget to do it!
With best regards and luck to you in the competition. 
Auntie Liz
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