Feeling the heat ? Scientists warn of climate shocks to global health

 

感受到壓力？科學家警告氣候衝擊對全球健康的影響

◎管淑平

Heat-related deaths are surging around the world, particularly among older people, scientists said on Thursday, warning of growing pressure on health systems hit hard by COVID-19.

科學家週四警告，全世界與高溫有關的死亡案例正在增加，尤其是年紀較大族群，為因新冠病毒疫情受重創的醫療體系帶來越來越大壓力。

Almost 300,000 people over the age of 65 died from extreme heat in 2018 - a 54% rise in two decades, said a report on the links between health and climate in The Lancet medical journal.

「刺胳針」醫學期刊上一份健康與氣候關聯性的報告指出，2018年有將近30萬名65歲以上的人死於極端高溫，20年來增幅54%。

"Climate-induced shocks are claiming lives, damaging health and disrupting livelihoods in all parts of the world right now," said Ian Hamilton, executive director of the fifth annual report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change. （Reuters）

「氣候引起的衝擊事件正在世界各地奪去性命、傷害健康，並且打亂生計」，刺胳針「健康與氣候變遷倒數計時」第五次年度報告執行長漢米爾頓說。（路透）

新聞辭典

feel the heat：俚語，感受到壓力或面臨困難處境，在本文中以heat另有「高溫」之意，一語雙關。例句：We are feeling the heat from those competitors. （我們正感受到那群競爭者帶來的壓力。）

shock：震驚、震撼事件，衝擊。例句：The country’s national football team just suffered a shock defeat.（這個國家的國家足球代表隊剛意外地輸掉比賽。）

induce：動詞，誘使、勸說，導致。例句：The company induced their employees to take the early retirement packages.（這家公司勸說其員工接受提早退休方案。）