中英對照：中國森林項目“應當更具可持續性”

　　China's forestry projects 'should be more sustainable'

　　[北京]科學家說，中國最大的環境項目中的兩個的規劃應該更加系統性，而且要加強合作，從而維持其取得的成功。

　　[BEIJING] Two of China's largest environmental programmes should plan more systemically and enhance collaboration to sustain their success, say scientists.

　　在本周（7月15日）的《美國科學院學報》（PNAS）中發表的一項研究中，研究人員評估了中國天然林保護工程（NFCP）與退耕還林工程(GTGP)的生態和經濟效用。

　　In a study published in this week's (15 July) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) researchers evaluate the ecological and economic impacts of China's Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) and Grain to Green Programme (GTGP).

　　最近批准了再資助GTGP8年，而且NFCP也可能會獲得同樣的支持。

　　Another eight years of funding for the GTGP have been recently approved, and NFCP is likely to receive the same.

　　NFCP是在1997年的嚴重干旱后啟動的，目的是通過禁止採伐和激勵林業企業造林來保護自然森林。通過該項目，被保護區域的面積快速增長而且碳截存也有了增長。

　　The NFCP, launched in 1997 following serious droughts, aims to conserve natural forests through logging bans and afforestation with incentives to forest enterprises. Under the programme, the area of protected land has risen rapidly and carbon sequestration has increased.

　　GTGP是在1998年洪災之后啟動的，通過向農民提供糧食和現金補貼來把種植在陡峭山坡的作物改造為森林和綠地。這組作者寫道，到2006年底該項目已改造了將近900萬公頃農田，造林11.7萬公頃荒地。

　　The GTGP, initiated in 1998 after massive floods, converts cropland on steep slopes to forest and grassland by providing farmers with grain and cash subsidies. By the end of 2006, the programme had transformed almost nine million hectares of cropland and afforested 11.7 million hectares of barren land, write the authors.

　　考慮到社會經濟效果，GTGP已取得了顯著的成就，全國超過3000萬個家庭中的1.2億農民受益，而NFCP僅影響到幾百個國有林業企業。

　　With regards to socioeconomic effects, the GTGP has been particularly successful, benefiting 120 million farmers in over 30 million households nationwide, while the NFCP has only affected a few hundred state-owned forest enterprises.

　　然而這組作者指出了一些不足之處，比如這些項目對政府資助的過分依賴，而資助把預算負擔又壓在了地方政府身上。他們認為，如果那些津貼不到位，新的森林就會又變為農田，砍伐天然林又會出現。

　　But the authors point out some shortcomings, such as the programmes' heavy reliance on government funding, which has placed budgetary burdens on local governments. They suggest that if the subsidies were to end, new forest could be converted back into cropland and natural forest logged again.

　　這組作者呼吁進行改革從而使這些項目更加可持續，其中包括在眾多政府層面上更系統的規劃以及以及多樣化的資助方案，諸如要求水電企業補償農民。

　　The authors appeal for reforms to make the programmes more sustainable, including more systematic planning at numerous government levels and diversified funding schemes such as pushing hydropower firms to compensate farmers.

　　此外，這組作者指出這兩個工程的已知合作努力還不是很多，並提議建立一個同時關注NFCP與GTGP的跨學科研究的全國網絡。

　　Additionally, the authors point out that not much is known about the collaborative efforts of the two programmes, and suggest the creation of a national network of interdisciplinary research that focuses on both the NFCP and GTGP.

　　北京林業大學經濟管理學院副院長王立群說其中一些建議措施已經提上了政策議程。比如，政府繼續為GTGP提供的資助將不僅用於補償農民，還將用於支持發展一些可選的商業。

　　Wang Liqun, deputy dean at the School of Economic Management at Beijing Forestry University, says some of the recommended measures are already on the policy agenda. For example, the continued government funding of the GTGP will be used not only to compensate farmers, but also to support alternative businesses.

　　王院長告訴科學與發展網絡（SciDev.Net）記者說：“這兩個項目啟動時，中國還處於經濟發展水平較低的階段，這意味著發展中國家隻要有強有力決心和組織，就能在其發展過程中達到恢復環境的目標。”

　　"The two programmes, launched when China was still at a lower economic development stage, imply that developing countries can achieve environmental recovery amidst development as long as they have strong determination and organisation," Wang told SciDev.Net.

　　本文由科學與發展網絡(SciDev.Net)獨家提供。