近年來(lái)素食主義倡導(dǎo)者大力宣傳素食的環(huán)保效應(yīng)，稱吃素食不僅環(huán)保，還能拯救地球。然而科學(xué)家最近表示，純素并不能更環(huán)保，肉類對(duì)地球生物至關(guān)重要。

Meat is crucial for feeding the planet, leading scientists have said, as they warned it is not more environmentally-friendly to go vegan.

知名科學(xué)家說(shuō)，在給地球生物提供食物方面，肉類至關(guān)重要。他們警告說(shuō)，純素并不會(huì)更環(huán)保。

vegan[?vi?ɡ?n]：adj.嚴(yán)格的素食主義的

Experts from the University of Edinburgh and Scotland’s Rural College said farmers were increasingly feeling demonised by the unsupported ‘meat is evil’ claims being promoted by environmental lobbyists.

愛丁堡大學(xué)和蘇格蘭農(nóng)村學(xué)院的專家說(shuō)，環(huán)保游說(shuō)人士鼓吹未經(jīng)證實(shí)的“肉是邪惡的”言論，讓農(nóng)民日益感到自己被妖魔化。

demonise['di:m?naiz]：vt.使成為魔鬼

Speaking at a panel in central London, they argued that meat was critical for the physical and mental health of children, particularly in developing countries, and said that moving away from livestock farming would not improve land use.

他們?cè)趥惗厥兄行呐e行的一個(gè)專題小組討論會(huì)上發(fā)言，認(rèn)為肉類對(duì)兒童身心健康至關(guān)重要，特別是在發(fā)展中國(guó)家。他們說(shuō)，放棄畜牧業(yè)并不能改善土地使用狀況。

Prof. Geoff Simm, Director of Global Academy Agriculture and Food Security at the University of Edinburgh, said: “I think (livestock farmers) do feel they are being demonised.

愛丁堡大學(xué)全球農(nóng)業(yè)和糧食安全學(xué)院主任杰夫·西姆教授說(shuō)：“我認(rèn)為（畜牧業(yè)者）的確覺得自己在被妖魔化?！?/p>

“Often the argument is made that going vegan would minimise land use, and the modelling studies that have been done demonstrate that that’s not the case.

他說(shuō)：“常有人聲稱，純素能將土地使用降至最低水平，而已有的模型研究表明，情況并非如此?！?/p>

“We feel that while livestock production has a range of economic, social and environmental costs and benefits, the costs have perhaps been receiving far more attention recently than some of the benefits.

他說(shuō)：“我們認(rèn)為，盡管畜牧生產(chǎn)在經(jīng)濟(jì)、社會(huì)和環(huán)境方面有著眾多成本及益處，但其成本最近受到的關(guān)注可能遠(yuǎn)超某些益處?！?/p>

“Meat has massive social benefits. It’s an important source of dietary protein, energy, highly bioavailable micronutrients, even small amounts of animal-sourced food have a really important effect on the development of children, in the developing world on their cognitive and physical development and they are really important.”

他說(shuō)：“肉類有著巨大的社會(huì)效益。它是膳食中蛋白質(zhì)、能量、高生物利用度的微量營(yíng)養(yǎng)素的重要來(lái)源，即使是少量動(dòng)物源性食品，對(duì)發(fā)展中國(guó)家兒童的認(rèn)知和身體發(fā)育都有著非常重要的影響，非常重要。”

Prof Mike Coffey, from Scotland’s Rural College, added: “It’s completely unnecessary to go vegan.

蘇格蘭農(nóng)村學(xué)院的邁克·科菲教授補(bǔ)充說(shuō)：“純素完全沒有必要。”

“If everybody went vegan it would be devastating for the UK environment. Animals bred for food help boost biodiversity.”

他說(shuō)：“如果每個(gè)人都成為純素主義者，將對(duì)英國(guó)環(huán)境造成毀滅性影響。飼養(yǎng)動(dòng)物供人食用有助于促進(jìn)生物多樣性。”

Researchers are currently attempting to breed more environmentally friendly cattle, which grow faster and eat less, which could further reduce the sector’s carbon footprint by reducing the amount of methane released by cows.

研究人員目前正試圖養(yǎng)殖更環(huán)保的牛，它們長(zhǎng)得較快、吃得較少，可以通過減少牛排放的甲烷量來(lái)進(jìn)一步減少該行業(yè)的碳足跡。

Prof Coffey said that the difference in methane emissions from best and worst cattle was about 30 percent and that if all UK farmers used the most efficient animals this could reduce carbon emissions by nearly a third.

科菲教授說(shuō)，最好的牛和最差的牛的甲烷排放量相差約30%，如果所有英國(guó)農(nóng)民都使用最高效的牛，能使碳排放量減少近三分之一。

But Prof Coffey said the next stage will be trying to measure the methane given off by different breeds of cattle to find which are the lowest emitters.

科菲教授說(shuō)，下一階段將測(cè)量不同種類的牛釋放的甲烷，找出哪些牛排放甲烷最少。

Prof Coffey said that soon shoppers could be able to check meat labels to find out how much environmental impact their food has had.

科菲教授說(shuō)，消費(fèi)者很快就可以通過查看肉類標(biāo)簽，了解他們的食品對(duì)環(huán)境有多大影響。

He added: “My expectation is that at some point in the near future there will be product labels that relates to the efficiency or carbon impact of the food.”

他還說(shuō)：“我預(yù)計(jì)在不久的將來(lái)，會(huì)有與食品的效率或碳影響有關(guān)的產(chǎn)品標(biāo)簽出現(xiàn)。”

Professor Andrea Wilson, also of Edinburgh University, said more research was needed into the impact of veganism.

同樣在愛丁堡大學(xué)供職的安德烈婭·威爾遜教授說(shuō)，需要對(duì)純素主義的影響進(jìn)行更多研究。

She added: “We know a lot about the livestock sector because people have looked at it. We actually know very little about the vegan sector.

她還說(shuō)：“我們對(duì)畜牧業(yè)了解頗多，因?yàn)槿藗儗?duì)它有過研究。我們對(duì)純素行業(yè)實(shí)際上知之甚少。

“The danger is we demonise one and jump too quickly to the other.”

她說(shuō)：“危險(xiǎn)在于，我們將一方妖魔化，而且太快地轉(zhuǎn)向另一方?！?/p>

英文來(lái)源：每日電訊報(bào)、參考消息網(wǎng)

編輯：yaning