氣候變化：海平面上升致太平洋5座島嶼消失

Five tiny Pacific islands have disappeared amid rising seas and erosion, Australian researchers say.

　　澳大利亞一項研究顯示，受海平面上升和海岸侵蝕影響，太平洋上的5座小島已經徹底消失。

　　The missing islands, part of the Solomon Archipelago, were not inhabited by human beings.

　　這些消失的島嶼是太平洋島國索羅門群島的一部分，無人類居住。

　　But six other islands were found to have seen swathes of land turn into sea, destroying entire villages.

　　該國還有其他6座島嶼大片的土地被海水吞噬，摧毀了整個村莊。

　　The researchers say it is the first scientific confirmation of the impact of climate change on Pacific coastlines.

　　研究人員表示，氣候變化對太平洋海岸線帶來的影響，這是首次被科學證明。

　　The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, looked at 33 islands using aerial and satellite imagery from 1947 to 2014, combined with historical insight and local knowledge.

　　這項發表於《環境研究快報》上的成果，結合歷史記載和當地知識，分析了33座島嶼在1947至2014年間的空中和衛星圖像。

　　It found that the archipelago had seen sea levels rise as much as as 10mm (0.4in) every year for the past two decades.

　　研究發現，過去20年間，索羅門群島的海平面每年上升約10毫米（0.4英寸）。

　　The five that have vanished were all vegetated reef islands of up to five hectares (12 acres) that were occasionally used by fishermen but not populated.

　　消失的這5座島礁都長滿植被，最大的達5公頃（12英畝）。那裡人際罕至，只是偶有漁民登島。

　　"They were not just little sand islands", leader author Simon Albert said.

　　研究團隊帶頭人Simon Albert介紹，「這5座島並非僅由沙子構成」。

　　One of the six islands that have been heavily eroded is Nuatambu Island, home to 25 families. The research says it has lost 11 houses and half its inhabitable area since 2011.

　　其他6個島嶼中，侵蝕最嚴重的Nuatambu島上居住著25戶人家。自2011年起，研究者已經見證了11座房屋被衝進海里。

　　The researchers say their study is the first that scientifically "confirms the numerous anecdotal accounts from across the Pacific of the dramatic impacts of climate change on coastlines and people".

　　這些研究人員稱，「確認這眾多的軼事都是氣候變化給太平洋海岸線和居民帶來的巨大影響，在科學研究上尚屬首例」。

　　However, the report stresses that the inundation does not result from rising sea levels alone.

　　然而，該報告強調，這種結果並不單單是海平面上升帶來的。

　　It found that shoreline recession was substantially worse in areas exposed to high wave energy, and that extreme events and inappropriate development are also factors contributing to the erosion.

　　它指出，在高波能暴露的地區，海岸線的衰退更加嚴重；還有一些極端事件以及不恰當的開採，都是造成侵蝕的一些因素。
The Solomon Islands, a nation made up of hundreds of islands and with a population of about 640,000, lies about 1,000 miles north-east of Australia.

　　索羅門群島位於澳大利亞東北1000英里處，由成百上千個島嶼組成，約有64萬人口。

　　Some communities are already adapting to the changed conditions. Several Nuatambu islanders have moved to a higher neighbouring volcanic island, the study said.

　　報告說，一些社區已經適應了多變的環境。Nuatambu島上的幾戶人家也都搬遷到鄰近一個更高的火山島上去了。

　　Other people were forced to move on the island of Nararo.

　　還有一些人被迫遷往Nararo島。

　　Taro, the capital of Choiseul Province, is set to become the first provincial capital to relocate residents and services.

　　舒瓦瑟爾省的省會塔羅島，成為第一個安置移民(微博)並提供生活服務的省會。