The Human Cost of Coal Mining in China | Xiaojun "Tom" Wang | TED

譯者: 麗玲 辛

So in early April this year,

今年 4 月上旬，

I went back to my hometown, Lüliang

我回到我的家鄉，

山西省呂梁，掃墓。

in central China’s Shanxi Province,

for the tomb-sweeping day.

The tomb-sweeping day, literally,

掃墓，如字面意思，

it is a day when we go and clean the tombs

就是我們去整理已故親人的墓的日子。

of our deceased beloved ones.

It is also a day when we go and ask for blessings from our ancestors.

這也是我們去向祖先 祈求庇祐的日子。

And this year,

今年，

my sister became a new grandmother,

我妹妹才剛成為祖母，

and she wanted to ask for blessings from our father

她想向父親祈求，請他保祐

for her new grandson.

她剛出生的孫子。

We had a hard time finding our father's tomb.

我們很難找到父親的墓。

The roads leading into our village had wide cracks,

通往我們村子的道路有很寬的裂縫，

with signs telling people to stay away and beware of landslides.

立了標誌，告訴人們遠離，提防土石流。

Landslides in my usually dry hometown

我的家鄉通常很少降雨，

used to be just a rare natural disaster.

土石流以前是罕見的自然災害。

Today, they are manmade, everyday threats

現今，土石流是人為的日常威脅，

because our mountains are being hollowed out by coal mining.

因為我們的山脈正被煤礦挖空。

And these are the very mountains where my father and my grandfather

這些山脈是我父親、 祖父和祖先

and our ancestors are buried.

埋葬之地。

My name is Xiaojun Wang.

我叫王曉軍。

People who are familiar with Chinese language,

熟悉中國語言、文化或歷史的人

culture or history will immediately know I was born in the 1970s

會馬上猜到我出生於 1970 年代，

because of the character “jun” in my name.

因為我的名字中有「軍」字。

Jun means soldier,

「軍」的意思是士兵，

and that, back then, was the best job in China.

是當時在中國最好的職業。

And that was what my veteran grandfather had expected me to do:

這就是我的老兵祖父期望我做到的：

to grow up and become a soldier, just like him.

長大成為一名士兵，像他一樣。

I grew up, became a teacher, a journalist,

我長大，成為老師，也是記者，

and then an environmental activist.

然後成為環保人士。

My work today focuses mostly on helping my village,

我現在的工作主要是幫助我的村莊、

my province and China to move out of coal addiction,

山西省和中國擺脫對煤炭的依賴，

regain our confidence

恢復我們的信心，

and build a new, clean living without coal.

並建立一個沒有煤炭的潔淨新生活。

Because I have witnessed how my village,

因為我見證了我的村莊、

my province had been destroyed by coal mining and coal burning.

我的省份是如何被煤礦和燃煤摧毀。

My province, over 40 percent, sits on top of coal and coal mining.

山西省超過 40％ 的面積 有煤礦及煤礦業。

At its peak in the mid-1990s,

在 90 年代中期的高峰時期，

we had about 11,000 coal mines all over the province.

全省擁有約 11,000 個煤礦。

And even today, right now,

即便現在此刻，

more than one million people work at various coal mines.

超過一百萬人在各個煤礦裏工作。

And that means one of every 30 people.

這意味著每 30 人中有一位。

One of them was my cousin,

其中一個是我表弟，

who also had the name or the character “jun” in his name.

他的名字也有「軍」字。

So he shared the same expectations from our grandfather.

他也承接了來自我們祖父同樣的期望。

He grew up, became a coal miner.

他長大，成為一名煤礦工。

Ten years ago, he was injured in a coal mine accident.

十年前他在煤礦事故中受傷，

He got addicted to painkillers.

對止痛藥上癮，

His liver was damaged.

因此肝臟受損。

And three years ago, he died.

三年前他過世，

He was younger than me.

他比我年輕。

And now today,

現在，

he's buried in the same mountains as our grandfather.

他被埋葬在和祖父同一座山上。

Even buried,

即便他已入土，

he’s still not free from coal-mine related accidents.

他仍然無法倖免煤礦事故。

We have been told to remove or to relocate

我們被告知我們需要移走或搬遷

our family graveyard.

我們的家族墓園。

By the end of this year,

今年底前，

we need to find new places for our deceased beloved ones.

我們需要為已故的親人找到新的地方。

My cousin, our fathers,

我的表弟，我們的父親，

our grandfather,

我們的祖父，

our grandparents, our ancestors.

我們的祖父母以及祖先們。

And that is the reality my province has been stuck in.

這就是我的省份陷入的困境。

We are proudly,

很諷剌地，

ironically speaking,

我們很自豪

the eldest coal brother for China.

我們是中國的煤礦大哥。

We produce over one billion tons of coal every year.

我們每年生產超過十億噸煤炭。

So one billion tons of coal is dug out every year from underneath our mountains,

每年從我們的山裏面挖出一億噸煤炭，

and most of that is sent to other provinces

大部分運送到其他省和城市，

and cities to support their economies.

支持他們的經濟。

This highly centralized coordination mechanism in China

在中國，這種高度集中的協調機制

is called the “sibling mechanism.”

被稱為「手足機制」。

We support 24 provinces and cities in China.

我們支持中國 24 個省 和城市。

They rely on our coal for their heating,

他們依賴我們的煤炭供暖、

their electricity, their industries,

電力、工業等，

almost everything.

幾乎所有事物。

And we are very proud to be that.

我們對此感到非常自豪。

In mid-2021,

2021 年中，

an energy crisis hit China.

一場能源危機襲擊中國。

So the parents in Beijing

因此，北京的家長領導人

asked Shanxi to keep digging

要求山西繼續挖礦，

and to dig harder and faster.

挖得更快更多。

And we, the eldest coal brother, Shanxi,

我們山西，煤礦大哥，

responded with earnest and pride.

以真誠和自豪回應。

Then in early October,

然後在十月初，

a very rare heavy rainstorm hit our usually dry province.

一場非常罕見的大雨襲擊了 我們這個通常少雨的省份。

Almost 100 towns got flooded.

近 100 個城鎮遭受洪水，

More landslides happened.

更多的土石流發生。

Over 120,000 people had to evacuate,

超過 12 萬人不得不逃離，

leaving behind their houses,

拋下房屋、

their crops,

農作物

their livestock,

和家畜，

to soak, to rot, to die

任其泡水、腐爛、死亡，

and to collapse in flood water.

並在洪水中崩壞。

At the same time, our governor held a press conference.

同時，我們的省長舉行了 一次新聞記者會。

Not to ask Beijing for rescue or for help,

不是要求北京救援或尋求幫助，

but to promise that we would keep digging

而是承諾我們會繼續挖礦，

and to ensure the rest of the other 24 siblings

並確保其他 24 個手足

coal supply for the rest of the year.

到年底前煤炭供應無虞。

Then, one month later, in November,

然後，一個月後， 11 月，在格拉斯哥

at COP26 in Glasgow,

舉行的第 26 屆聯合國 氣候變遷大會上，

the whole world, China included, promised and committed to a coal phasedown.

全世界（包括中國）承諾 逐步降低煤炭使用。

China had also made its domestic commitments

中國也在國內作出承諾，

to reach carbon emission peak by 2030

在 2030 年達到碳排放峰值，

and carbon neutrality by 2060.

並在 2060 年達到碳中和。

The most effective ways to reach these goals or these targets

實現這些目標最有效的方法

is to reduce the burning of coal.

是減少燃煤。

So clearly, the direction for coal

所以很明顯，煤炭的 未來方向已經非常確定。

has been very firmly set.

Coal has no future.

煤炭沒有未來。

Many of the 24 provinces and cities,

一直依賴山西煤炭的 24 個省份和城市，

who have been relying heavily on Shanxi coal, our coal,

are taking actions to move away from coal into a cleaner,

許多已採取行動，從煤炭 轉向更乾淨、更強大的經濟，

stronger economy that is mainly supported by renewable energy.

主要由可再生能源支持。

But.

但是，

Our province has been told to keep digging and to dig harder and faster,

山西省仍被告知要繼續挖礦， 挖得更多更快，

because the parents in Beijing are still very concerned

因為北京領導人仍然非常擔心

about another energy crisis.

另一次能源危機。

That is our reality.

這就是我們的現實。

That is the reality the eldest coal brother Shanxi has been stuck in.

這就是山西這個煤炭大哥 被困住的真實狀況。

Burning less coal is good news for the world.

減少燃煤對世界來說是好消息。

Burning less coal is even good news for Shanxi.

對於山西來說，減少燃煤 甚至也是好消息。

Because the sooner all the other siblings start to reduce their reliance on coal,

因為其他手足越早開始 減少對煤炭的依賴，

the sooner can we start to climb out of coal mine shafts

我們就越早可以從煤礦井上爬出來，

and to look around, above the ground,

在地面上尋找其他選擇和解決方案，

for other options and other solutions

in the sunlight,

在陽光下，

in the open, clean air.

在露天的乾淨空氣中。

Above the ground,

在地面上，

we have the highest cluster of ancient buildings in China.

我們擁有中國最多的古建築群。

Over 75 percent of buildings

中國一千年以上的建築物

that are older than 1,000 years exist in my province.

超過 75％ 位於山西省，

The Forbidden City in Beijing

北京的紫禁城

is only 600 years old.

只有 600 年的歷史。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And even underneath the ground,

即使在地下，

our real treasure is not coal.

我們真正的寶藏也不是煤炭。

We have ancient tombs

我們有古墓，

that are easily 500 years older

比著名的秦始皇兵馬俑

than the better-known terracotta warriors.

更早了 500 年。

That is our real treasure.

那是我們真正的寶藏，

That is our real pride.

這是我們真正的驕傲。

Not many people outside Shanxi know about it, though.

然而，山西以外， 並沒有很多人知道這一點。

In fact, not many people outside Shanxi know much about Shanxi other than coal.

事實上，除了煤炭之外， 山西以外的人並不太了解山西。

We are the birthplace of China's agriculture and culture.

我們是中國農業及文化的發源地。

We are the birthplace of noodles and bread and wine.

我們是麵條、麵包和葡萄酒的發源地。

We are the birthplace of Chinese language, poetry

我們是中國語文、詩歌的發源地，

and even the earliest banking system in China.

甚至還有中國最早的銀行體系。

People outside Shanxi associate us with coal

山西以外的人將我們 與煤炭聯想在一起，

because that's what we have been giving.

因為這就是我們一直在給予的東西。

So fortunately, Shanxi Province,

幸運的是，

山西省政府正慢慢地醒悟，

our government, has been slowly waking up

and are taking actions to move away.

正在採取行動前進。

So things are changing, things are happening.

所以事情正在改變，改變正在發生。

But Shanxi alone cannot do it.

但是山西無法獨自做到。

We alone will not be able to break away from the vicious circle of cold reliance

我們自己無法擺脫碳依賴、

or coal addiction.

或煤成癮的惡習。

Beijing and other sibling provinces need to step up

北京和其他省份得加緊

with their share and pay back.

他們的份內工作，並回饋。

Just like how our coal has been mobilized

如同我們的煤炭之前被調集

to support all these provinces' economy and growth,

來支持這些省份的經濟和成長，

this mechanism, this sibling coordination mechanism in China,

這個中國手足協調機制

needs to start today

需要從現在開始，

and bring resources, clean resources,

將清潔資源

back to us and towards us and help us.

帶給我們，並幫助我們。

In the past 45 years,

在過去的 45 年中，

this mechanism has helped,

這個機制已有所助益，

has worked very, very effectively

非常有效地

to bring all the technology and investments

將東部沿岸富有省份的

from the richer coastal provinces in the east

技術和投資

to the poorer inland provinces in China.

帶到中國貧窮的內陸省。

It also very successfully helped China to end extreme poverty

它還非常成功幫助 中國在 2021 年

for its 1.4 billion people back in 2021.

終結 1.4 億人的極端貧窮。

In the coming decades and years,

在未來的幾十年，

before 2030, before 2060,

在 2030 年之前， 2060 年之前，

this same sibling mechanism will be crucial for China as a whole,

這個手足機制對於整個中國， 作為一個大家庭來說，

as a big family, to achieve its dual carbon targets,

要實現雙碳目標，

which is carbon emission peak by 2030

即 2030 年到到達碳排放峰值

and carbon neutrality by 2060.

和 2060 年碳中和， 將是至關重要的。

As I said, as a whole, as a big family,

正如我所提的，整體來說， 作為一個大家庭，

that means Shanxi, my province, cannot be left behind,

這意味著山西省不能被遺棄，

stuck in coal mine shafts,

困在煤礦坑中，

stuck in coal smog

困在煤煙中，

and stuck in collapsed mountains.

困在崩壞的山區。

Only with this policy coordination led by Beijing

唯有北京領導協調這項政策，

and also financial and technical support from other sibling provinces

以及其他省份的財務和技術支持，

can we start to climb out of the coal mine shaft

我們才能開始從煤礦井上爬出，

and rebuild our new economy

重建我們的新經濟，

by reviving our ancient history

復甦我們的古老歷史，

for a more guaranteed future.

以獲得更有保證的未來。

We have all these ancient buildings,

這些我們擁有的古老建築、文化

we have all this culture that are waiting to be woken up

正在等待被喚醒，

to actually present and to share with the rest of the world.

真正現身，與世界其他人分享。

This is how we can start to have a fair,

這樣，我們才能開始

在地面上進行公平、清潔的過渡，

clean transition above the ground

without leaving our people behind jobless,

而不會讓人民失業、

hopeless, helpless and futureless.

無望、無助，看不到未來。

Because each gram of coal that we dig

因為我們挖出的每克煤炭

will send all these ancient temples

都會使這些古老的寺廟和古墓

and ancient tombs closer to collapsing.

更接近崩壞。

Each gram of coal that we burn

我們燃燒的每一克煤，

will send more acid rain to the farmlands

將會給農地帶來更多酸雨，

and more coal dust to the fragile wooden temples.

讓更多煤灰飄送到脆弱的木造寺廟。

We pray for hope when we go to these temples.

當我們去這些寺廟時，我們祈求希望。

We pray for hope,

我們祈求希望，

we pray for blessings from our ancestors

我們祈求祖先的庇祐，

because we deserve a better future.

因為我們應得更美好的未來。

A clean, a safe, a healthy future

給我姐姐剛出生的孫子

for my sister's new grandson.

一個乾淨、安全、健康的未來。

And at the same time, our deceased beloved ones,

同時，我們已故的親人，

my cousin, our fathers,

我的表弟，我們的父親，

our grandparents, our ancestors,

我們的祖父母、祖先，

also deserve a safe future.

也應得到一個安全的未來。

They deserve to rest in real peace

他們應得真正的安息，

without having the fear to be relocated in their graveyard.

不必擔憂他們的墓地會被搬動。

So that's my story.

那就是我的故事。

Thank you so very much.

非常感謝你。

(Applause)

（掌聲）