This is your brain on air pollution | María Neira

翻译人员: Yizhuo He 校对人员: Jiasi Hao

There is something we desperately need

有一件事是我们绝对需要做，

that we cannot stop doing:

且要一直做下去的：

it is breathing.

那就是呼吸。

Do you want to try?

你想试试吗？

我们何不一起试试屏住呼吸

Why don't we stop breathing together

10 秒钟。

for, let's say, even 10 seconds.

Is that OK?

可以吗？

Let's do it.

让我们开始吧。

Get ready ... OK, now!

准备好。现在，开始！

Oof, difficult, isn't it?

哦，这挺难的，不是吗？

Well, this is an incredible number

有一个惊人数字，

that will again take your breath away:

会让你感到难以置信：

seven.

7 。

Seven what?

7 什么？

Seven million premature deaths a year

每年会有 700 万人

因为呼吸被污染的空气而早逝。

caused by exposure to the bad quality of the air we breathe.

Imagine -- it's like more than the entire population of my dear Madrid

想象下——这比我热爱的 马德里市的总人口都多，

will be wiped out in one year.

这么多人会在一年内消失。

And you may ask:

你可能会问：

Has this information been disclosed?

这个信息有被披露过吗？

这个信息有被公开宣传过吗？

Has this information been publicized, distributed?

没错，有的。

Well, yes.

We have at the moment more than 70,000 scientific papers

现在我们有超过 7 万篇科研文章

examining the relationship between air pollution and our health,

在研究空气污染 与我们健康之间的关系，

and the global media has been regularly covering this issue.

全世界的媒体 也一直都在报道这个重要议题。

In fact, in a relatively short period of time,

事实上，近年来，

we have come to know

我们已经知道

that air pollution is having a negative impact

空气污染对我们 几乎所有的主要器官

on almost all our major organs.

都会产生负面影响。

Let's start by the lungs.

让我们从肺开始说起。

When we think about air pollution, we always think about the lungs.

当我们想到空气污染时， 我们首先想到的就是肺。

In fact, every time we take a breath,

事实上，我们每次呼吸，

we are inhaling toxic pollutants,

都在吸入有毒污染物质，

and our poor pink and lovely lungs

我们那可怜、粉色且可爱的肺

are suffering all of that.

一直在经受着它们的折磨。

过去 10 多年间，

Over the last 10 years,

we have put together a lot of knowledge about what's happened to that,

我们已经积累了许多相关的知识，

但让我先从什么是空气污染说起。

but let me tell you first what is air pollution.

OK, air pollution is a very complex mixture

空气污染是一个由固体颗粒，

of solid particles,

液滴，

liquid droplets

和气态化学物质

and gaseous chemicals.

所组成的复杂的混合物。

Imagine all of this mixture

想象这些所有的混合物——

that might come from sources like household fuel burning

可能从家用燃料燃烧，

or industry or traffic

或工业、交通运行中而产生，

or many other indoor and outdoor sources.

也可能来自其它室内外的源头。

And, of course, different sources of pollution

当然了，不同种类的污染源

will make different mixtures of pollutants.

会产生不同种类的污染混合物。

The point is that all of these toxins,

重点是所有的这些毒素，

they can be combined in different ways.

可能会以多种方式被混合。

以粒状物质， PM （particulate matter）为例。

Let's take, for instance, the particulate matter, the PM.

It can be a mixture that will include --

它可能是包含了——

look at the cocktail here --

看看这个成分不太相容的 混合物可能的成分——

soil and road dust,

泥土和道路尘埃、

sea salt,

海盐、

有毒金属、

toxic metals,

diesel smog,

柴油烟雾、

硝酸盐和硫酸盐，

nitrates and sulfates,

and all of this toxic poison, this delicious cocktail,

所有的这些有毒物质， 这个成分不相容的混合物，

is going through our lungs every day,

每天都会穿过我们的肺，

and we are constantly exposed to this air pollution

而我们由于不能停止呼吸，

because we cannot stop breathing.

只能每时每刻 都暴露在这样的空气污染中。

I mean, we can do it for 10 seconds, but no more than that.

当然，我们可以试着屏住呼吸 10 秒， 但最多也就 10 秒而已。

We cannot stop breathing

我们没办法停止呼吸，

and, in addition,

而且，

we need, every day, around 10,000 liters of air.

我们每天需要 1 万升左右的空气。

So we said that we have seven million deaths

那么刚才说过， 我们每年有大约 700 万

caused by air pollution every year.

由空气污染所造成的死亡。

Are we panicking?

我们有感到恐慌吗？

Are we keeping calm?

我们在保持镇定吗？

Are we declaring a national disaster, a global emergency?

我们有把它宣告为国家级的灾难吗， 还是一个全球危机？

Well, no, and in fact I'm asking myself this question every day:

并没有，实际上我每天都在 问自己这样一个问题：

What is happening?

为什么会这样？

But here is something that maybe will force us to react more quickly.

还有件事情也许会迫使我们 更快地采取应对措施。

Air pollution is not just affecting our lungs.

那就是空气污染 不只在影响我们的肺。

它也在影响着我们的大脑。

It's affecting our brain as well.

This is our brain.

这是我们的大脑。

Beautiful.

很漂亮。

We all have it.

我们都有大脑。

We all need it.

我们都需要它。

希望我们都能用到它——

Hopefully, we all use it --

(Laughter)

（笑声）

some more than others.

比其他人更多的去思考。

And in the last 10 years of history,

在过去 10 年间，

the research about the relationship between air pollution

关于空气污染与脑部健康之间

and our brain's health

关系的研究

has been increased dramatically,

在急剧增长，

so maybe now our brain is going up in smoke.

可能我们的大脑 现在已经在“冒烟”了。

But let me tell you the evidence,

让我来告诉大家几个事实，

我们已知的关于空气污染 对大脑产生的影响。

what we know so far about air pollution in our brain.

首先，现在已经有 越来越多的证据表明

First, there is an emerging body of evidence

空气污染物

regarding the potential harmful effects

of air pollutants

对我们的中枢神经系统

into our central nervous system.

有着潜在的有害影响。

But let's go back to the toxic particles.

但让我们先回到有毒颗粒物。

还记得吗？

Remember?

We left them at the lungs,

我们让它们待在肺部，

enjoying life,

享受生活，

polluting everything.

污染一切。

But now the smallest of them,

但其中最小的一些有毒颗粒物，

they can cross into the bloodstream,

可以进入血液循环，

and from the bloodstream, pumped by the heart,

而血液中的这些颗粒 在心脏泵血的作用下，

they can reach the whole body,

可被输送到全身，

threatening every organ,

威胁我们的每个器官，

包括大脑。

including the brain.

We used to say that air pollution has no borders,

我们常说空气污染是无界的，

and it's true as well within our bodies,

污染在我们体内也是如此，

because air pollutants will cross the placental barrier

空气污染物 可穿过胎盘屏障直达胎儿的位置，

and reach the fetus and alter the cerebral cortex of our children

甚至在他们第一次呼吸之前

even before they take their first breath.

就能改变他们的大脑皮层。

Second, several studies have suggested

其次，已有多项研究表明，

that both prenatal and early childhood long-term exposure to air pollution

在孕期和幼年时期长时间 暴露在空气污染之下，

will have a negative influence on neural development,

会对人们的神经系统发育 造成负面影响，

will have lower cognitive test outcomes,

导致认知测试结果较差，

and there will be an influence as well, a negative influence,

而且污染物还可能会造成

on some behavioral disorders like autism

自闭症等行为障碍，

and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

或是注意力缺陷， 多动症等负面影响。

In addition to that, some evidence found

除此以外，一些研究发现

that exposing our children's and young adults' brains

儿童和青年的大脑

若长时间接触这些颗粒物质

for a long time to particulate matter

会造成脑部炎症等症状，

will cause some reactions like brain inflammation,

altering the neural response

改变神经反应，

and [also] leading to the influence of more protein plaques

并且会引发更多蛋白质斑块的聚集

that are accumulating,

所造成的影响，

and those can increase the risks for diseases

这些斑块可增加

like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

患老年痴呆症和帕金森的概率。

Ironic, isn't it:

这可真讽刺，不是吗：

we are investing in our children's future,

我们投资孩子们的未来，

we are sending them to school every day to expand their minds,

每天送他们去学校拓展思维，

the society is investing in their education,

整个社会都在 付出心血投资他们的未来，

and yet the air they breathe while waiting for the school bus

然而他们在等校车时 呼吸的空气

is influencing negatively the development of their brain.

却在损害他们大脑的发育。

Let's go to the third: What about adults?

让我们来谈谈第三点： 对于成年人来说呢？

According to recent scientific evidence,

根据近期的科学研究，

long-term exposure to particulate matter will cause a cognitive decline

随着实验参与者的年龄增长，

长期暴露于颗粒物质中 会导致认知衰退。

in study participants as they age.

And not only that,

不仅如此，

if you expose them to long-term, very fine particulate matter,

如果他们长期暴露于 非常细微的颗粒物质中，

their brain will age more rapidly,

他们的大脑会加速老化，

and they will have higher odds

也会有更高的几率

of having small, silent strokes.

发生轻度中风。

The last one -- and I will not give you more evidence,

最后一点—— 这次我就不列举更多的证据了，

because there is a ton of [it] --

因为相关证据太多了——

some epidemiological studies in animal models

一些利用动物模型进行的 流行病学研究发现，

have suggested that there might be an increased risk of dementia

持续暴露于空气污染中

with sustained exposure to air pollutants.

可能会增加患痴呆的概率。

So, almost everybody is exposed to air pollution.

空气污染几乎无处不在。

不管你是住在郊区还是市区，

Whether you live in a rural area or an urban area,

whether you live in a high-income country or a low-income country,

不管你住在高收入国家， 还是低收入国家，

everybody's brains, including yours,

我们每个人的大脑，包括你的，

are at risk.

都处于危险之中。

As a medical doctor,

作为一名医生，

I have been dedicating the last more than 20 years now

在世界卫生组织供职的

of my professional life

20 多年中，

to raise awareness about public health issues,

我一直致力于提高人们

public health risks,

对公共健康问题和

at the World Health Organization,

公共健康威胁的重视，

and I know that the knowledge is there and the solutions as well.

我也知道实际情况 和解决办法都已存在。

Sure, some places are more polluted than others,

当然了，有些地区的污染 比其它地区更严重，

but this a global issue,

但这是一个全球性问题，

and no individual, no city, no group, no country, no region

不是某个人、某个城市、 某个组织、某个国家或某个地区

will be able to solve it alone.

能独自解决的。

We need very strong commitments and very strong action by everyone:

我们需要强有力的承诺 和来自所有人的积极行动：

社会团体，

civil society,

私人企业，

private sector,

even individuals.

甚至个人。

We all have a role to play.

我们都要发挥作用。

Yes, we need to influence the way we consume,

是的，我们需要改变 我们消费的方式，

通勤的方式，

the way we commute,

the way we use our energy.

消耗能源的方式。

令人欣慰的是， 所有这些解决办法都是现成的。

And the good thing is that all of those solutions are available.

The question is, if we postpone action by one day,

问题在于，如果我们 推迟采取行动哪怕一天，

我们都将会多失去几千条生命，

there might be thousands of lives that we will lose,

but if we postpone it by one year,

如果推迟一年，

我们可能还将再失去 700 万生命。

we might be losing again seven million.

So every policy maker, every politician,

所以每个政策制定者， 每位政客，

needs to be aware of the consequences on human health

都需要意识到他们推迟做出决定

of postponing their decisions.

对人类健康可能造成的后果。

In fact,

事实上，

this is not the first time in history

这已不是人类历史上第一次

that we are confronted with the risks of this invisible killer.

遇到这种隐形杀手的威胁了。

This was London in 1952,

这是 1952 年的伦敦，

and as was done in London in the '50s and the '60s,

就像是在五六十年代的

governments and cities,

伦敦政府与城市所做的那样，

they need to take urgent action to stop the terrible impact of air pollution.

他们现在也需要采取紧急措施 以停止空气污染所造成的可怕影响。

Every politician must know that delaying what they call the tough actions,

每位政客都必须认识到 推迟他们所说的强硬措施，

比如减少城市中的交通， 或是加大对公共交通的投资，

like reducing traffic in cities or investing in public transport

and engaging in promoting cycling in cities,

或致力于推广城市中自行车的使用，

investing in renewable energy,

投资可再生能源，

promoting cleaner energy for cooking, cooling

在烹饪，制冷，交通和供暖中

and transportation and heating

推广更清洁的能源

are solutions that are very smart,

都是比较可行的解决方法，

因为事实上， 这些措施都可以实现减排

because, in fact, they reduce emissions,

和改善空气质量的目的， 这也与世卫组织

they improve air quality in line with WHO standards,

which are the standards that will protect ourselves.

旨在保护我们自己的标准相符。

So in fact, all politicians that we need these very strong political commitments

所以，我们需要所有政治家 做出强有力的承诺，

and political will from,

也要有足够的政治决心，

but [we need] all of them now.

现在就要开始行动，刻不容缓。

Those who fail, who postpone action,

那些没能做到， 或者未能及时行动的政客

they have been requested even to defend their position in court.

甚至会被要求 在法庭上为自己辩护。

And from now on,

而且从现在开始，

no politician will be able to say, "I didn't know."

没有政客能说： “我不知道。”这样的话。

So the question here is:

所以现在的问题是：

How many lives,

我们还能接受

loss of quality of life

多少生命的逝去，

and losing our brain power

多少生活质量的下降，

are we ready to accept?

多少脑力的下降？

If the answer is "none,"

如果答案是“零容忍”，

I will request that you,

我恳请大家，

while our brains are still functioning, while we are still intelligent,

趁我们的大脑还能正常运转， 趁我们还聪明的时候，

please exercise your right, put pressure on your politicians

请行使你们的公民权利， 对政客们施压，

and make sure that they take action to stop the sources of air pollution.

确保他们采取行动 抑制空气污染的源头。

This is the first thing we need to do to protect yourself

这是我们为了 保护自己和我们美丽的大脑

and to protect our beautiful brain.

所需要做的第一件事。

Thank you very much.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）