This is your brain on air pollution | María Neira

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Melody Tang

There is something we desperately need

有件事我們極度需要，

that we cannot stop doing:

且無法停下來不去做它：

it is breathing.

那就是呼吸。

Do you want to try?

各位想要試試嗎？

Why don't we stop breathing together

我們一起暫停呼吸，

for, let's say, even 10 seconds.

十秒鐘就好，如何？

Is that OK?

可以嗎？

Let's do it.

來吧。

Get ready ... OK, now!

準備……好，開始！

Oof, difficult, isn't it?

呼，很困難，是吧？

Well, this is an incredible number

還有個很不可思議的數字，

that will again take your breath away:

會讓你驚訝到再次無法呼吸：

seven.

七。

Seven what?

什麼七？

Seven million premature deaths a year

一年有七百萬人過早死亡，

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

原因是因為暴露在 品質不好的空氣中呼吸。

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

想像一下——這個人數就如同

我親愛的馬德里的所有居民 在一年內就全部消失。

will be wiped out in one year.

And you may ask:

各位可能會問：

Has this information been disclosed?

這項資訊有被揭露出來嗎？

Has this information been publicized, distributed?

這項資訊有被公佈、宣傳出去嗎？

Well, yes.

有的。

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

目前有超過七萬篇科學論文

examining the relationship between air pollution and our health,

探討空氣污染 和我們健康之間的關係，

and the global media has been regularly covering this issue.

且全球媒體也經常報告這個議題。

In fact, in a relatively short period of time,

事實上，在相對很短的時間內，

we have come to know

我們已經漸漸了解

that air pollution is having a negative impact

空氣污染對於我們幾乎所有的

on almost all our major organs.

重要器官都有負面的影響。

Let's start by the lungs.

我們從肺開始談起。

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

談到空氣污染時， 我們總會想到肺部。

In fact, every time we take a breath,

事實上，我們每一次呼吸，

we are inhaling toxic pollutants,

就會吸入有毒的污染物質，

and our poor pink and lovely lungs

而我們可憐且可愛的粉紅色肺部

are suffering all of that.

就得受污染物質之苦。

Over the last 10 years,

在過去十年，

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

我們已經將許多相關知識拼湊起來，

but let me tell you first what is air pollution.

但讓我先跟各位說明 空氣污染是什麼。

OK, air pollution is a very complex mixture

空氣污染是一種非常複雜的混合物，

of solid particles,

包含了固態粒子、

liquid droplets

液態微滴，

and gaseous chemicals.

以及氣態化學物質。

Imagine all of this mixture

想像所有這類混合物，

that might come from sources like household fuel burning

可能的來源包括

家庭燃料燃燒、工業，或交通，

or industry or traffic

or many other indoor and outdoor sources.

或許多其他室內及戶外的來源。

And, of course, different sources of pollution

當然，不同的污染源

will make different mixtures of pollutants.

會產生出不同的污染物質混合物。

The point is that all of these toxins,

重點是，所有這些毒素，

they can be combined in different ways.

它們可能有不同的結合方式。

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

比如，以懸浮微粒 (PM) 為例，

It can be a mixture that will include --

這種混合物可能包括——

look at the cocktail here --

看看這雞尾酒——

soil and road dust,

土壤和道路塵土、

sea salt,

海鹽、

toxic metals,

有毒金屬、

diesel smog,

柴油煙霧、

nitrates and sulfates,

硝酸鹽和硫酸鹽。

and all of this toxic poison, this delicious cocktail,

所有這些有毒的毒物， 這可口的雞尾酒，

is going through our lungs every day,

每天都會通過我們的肺部，

and we are constantly exposed to this air pollution

我們經常暴露在這種空氣污染中，

because we cannot stop breathing.

因為我們無法停止呼吸。

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

我是指，我們可以暫停呼吸 十秒鐘，但最多就是這樣。

We cannot stop breathing

我們無法停止呼吸，

and, in addition,

此外，

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

每天，我們需要大約

一萬公升的空氣。

So we said that we have seven million deaths

所以當我們說

每年有七百萬人死於空氣污染。

caused by air pollution every year.

Are we panicking?

我們慌張嗎？

Are we keeping calm?

我們保持冷靜嗎？

Are we declaring a national disaster, a global emergency?

我們有宣佈國家級災難， 全球緊急狀況嗎？

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

沒有，事實上，我每天 都問自己這個問題：

What is happening?

為什麼會這樣呢？

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

但，接下來要跟各位談的，

可能會迫使我們做出更快的反應。

Air pollution is not just affecting our lungs.

空氣污染不僅影響我們的肺部。

It's affecting our brain as well.

它也影響我們的大腦。

This is our brain.

這是我們的大腦。

Beautiful.

很美。我們都有它。

We all have it.

We all need it.

我們都需要它。

Hopefully, we all use it --

但願，我們都用它——

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

some more than others.

有些人用的比其他人多一些。

And in the last 10 years of history,

在過去十年，

the research about the relationship between air pollution

探討空氣污染和大腦健康之間

and our brain's health

有什麼關聯性的研究

has been increased dramatically,

數量大大增加，

so maybe now our brain is going up in smoke.

所以，也許現在我們的 大腦正在化為飛煙。

But let me tell you the evidence,

但，讓我告訴各位

目前我們所知

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

被空氣污染的大腦內部的證據。

First, there is an emerging body of evidence

首先，有越來越多證據

regarding the potential harmful effects

證明空氣污染物質

of air pollutants

可能會對我們的中央神經系統 帶來有害的影響，

into our central nervous system.

But let's go back to the toxic particles.

但，我們回到有毒粒子。

Remember?

記得嗎？

We left them at the lungs,

我們把它們留在肺部，

enjoying life,

在那裡享受生活，污染一切。

polluting everything.

But now the smallest of them,

但，現在，當中最小的粒子

they can cross into the bloodstream,

可以穿越到血流當中，

and from the bloodstream, pumped by the heart,

由心臟打出來的血流

they can reach the whole body,

會把它們帶到全身，

threatening every organ,

威脅每個器官，

including the brain.

包括大腦。

We used to say that air pollution has no borders,

我們以前會說，空氣污染沒有邊界，

and it's true as well within our bodies,

在我們的身體內亦是如此，

because air pollutants will cross the placental barrier

因為空氣污染物會穿過胎盤障壁，

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

接觸到胎兒，

改變孩子的大腦皮層，

even before they take their first breath.

甚至在孩子呼吸 第一口氣之前就發生。

Second, several studies have suggested

第二，有幾篇研究指出，

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

在胎兒期和幼兒期中，

如果長期暴露在空氣污染中，

will have a negative influence on neural development,

對於神經發展會有負面影響，

will have lower cognitive test outcomes,

認知測驗的成績會比較差，

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

也會影響，負面的影響，

on some behavioral disorders like autism

一些行為相關疾病，比如自閉症

and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

及專注力失調，及過度活躍症。

In addition to that, some evidence found

此外，研究發現一些證據，

that exposing our children's and young adults' brains

證明若孩子和青少年的大腦

for a long time to particulate matter

長時間暴露在懸浮微粒中，

will cause some reactions like brain inflammation,

會造成一些反應，如大腦發炎，

altering the neural response

改變神經反應，

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

以及導致累積的

蛋白斑塊，

that are accumulating,

and those can increase the risks for diseases

它們可能會增加阿茲海默

like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

和帕金森氏症等疾病的風險。

Ironic, isn't it:

很諷刺，對吧？

we are investing in our children's future,

我們為孩子的未來做投資，

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

我們每天送他們上學， 以擴展他們的心智，

the society is investing in their education,

社會則投資他們的教育，

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

但，他們在等校車時所呼吸的空氣

is influencing negatively the development of their brain.

卻對他們的大腦發展有負面影響。

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

我們來談談第三點：成人又如何呢？

According to recent scientific evidence,

根據最近的科學證據，

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

長期暴露在懸浮微粒中

會造成受試者的認知 隨著年齡增長而下降。

in study participants as they age.

And not only that,

不僅如此，

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

如果讓他們長期暴露在 非常細微的懸浮微粒中，

their brain will age more rapidly,

他們的大腦會更快速老化，

and they will have higher odds

他們也更有可能會

of having small, silent strokes.

發生小中風、靜息性中風。

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

最後——我不打算給各位 更多證據，因為太多了——

because there is a ton of [it] --

some epidemiological studies in animal models

有些以動物為模型的流行病學研究

have suggested that there might be an increased risk of dementia

指出如果持續暴露在空氣污染中，

得到失智症的風險可能會增加。

with sustained exposure to air pollutants.

So, almost everybody is exposed to air pollution.

幾乎人人都暴露在空氣污染中。

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

不論你住在鄉村地區或都市地區，

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

不論你住在高收入國家 或低收入國家，

everybody's brains, including yours,

每個人的大腦，包括你的，

are at risk.

都有風險。

As a medical doctor,

身為醫生，

I have been dedicating the last more than 20 years now

目前，我已經投入我職涯中

二十年多的時間，

of my professional life

to raise awareness about public health issues,

在世界衛生組織致力提升大家對於

public health risks,

公共健康議題 及公共健康風險的意識。

at the World Health Organization,

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

且我知道知識和解決方案 都是已經存在的。

Sure, some places are more polluted than others,

的確，有些地方的污染 比其他地方嚴重，

but this a global issue,

但這是個全球議題，

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

沒有任何一個人，

沒有一個城市、一個團體、 一個國家、一個地區

will be able to solve it alone.

能夠單槍匹馬解決它。

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

我們需要人人都做出非常強的 承諾、採取非常強的行動：

civil society,

公民社會、

private sector,

民營單位、甚至每個個人。

even individuals.

We all have a role to play.

我們都有要扮演的角色。

Yes, we need to influence the way we consume,

是的，我們需要影響 我們的消費方式、

the way we commute,

我們的通勤方式、

the way we use our energy.

我們使用能源的方式。

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

值得慶幸的是，

所有解決方案都是存在的。

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

問題是，如果我們 延遲一天採取行動，

there might be thousands of lives that we will lose,

可能就會損失數千條性命，

but if we postpone it by one year,

但，如果我們延遲一年採取行動，

we might be losing again seven million.

可能就會再次損失七百萬條性命。

So every policy maker, every politician,

所以，每位政策制訂者、政治家

needs to be aware of the consequences on human health

都需要意識到他們延遲決策

會對人類健康產生什麼後果。

of postponing their decisions.

In fact,

事實上，

this is not the first time in history

這並非史上頭一次

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

人類要面對這個隱形殺手的風險。

This was London in 1952,

頭一次是 1952 年，在倫敦，

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

就像 1950、1960 年代倫敦的做法，

governments and cities,

政府和城市

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

必須要緊急採取行動，

來阻止空氣污染的可怕衝擊。

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

每位政治家都應該知道， 延遲他們所謂的棘手行動，

like reducing traffic in cities or investing in public transport

比如減少城市中的交通量

或投資公共運輸，

and engaging in promoting cycling in cities,

以及參與推動在城市中騎單車、

investing in renewable energy,

投資可再生能源、

promoting cleaner energy for cooking, cooling

推動在烹飪、冷卻、交通、加熱上

and transportation and heating

使用更乾淨的能源，

are solutions that are very smart,

這些都是非常聰明的解決方案，

because, in fact, they reduce emissions,

因為，事實上，它們能減少排放，

they improve air quality in line with WHO standards,

它們能改善空氣品質， 符合世界衛生組織的標準，

which are the standards that will protect ourselves.

這些是能夠保護我們自己的標準。

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

事實上，我們需要所有政治家

做出夠力的政治承諾， 也要有足夠的政治決心，

and political will from,

but [we need] all of them now.

但刻不容緩，現在就需要。

Those who fail, who postpone action,

失敗的人，延遲行動的人，

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

他們甚至被要求上法庭為自己辯白。

And from now on,

從現在起，

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

沒有政治家能夠說「我不知道」。

So the question here is:

所以，問題是：多少條生命、

How many lives,

loss of quality of life

多少生活品質的損失，

and losing our brain power

以及腦力的損失

are we ready to accept?

是我們準備好接受的嗎？

If the answer is "none,"

如果答案是「一點都不能接受」，

I will request that you,

我要請求大家，

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

在我們的大腦功能還正常， 在我們還有智力時，

please exercise your right, put pressure on your politicians

請行使你們的權利，對政治家施壓，

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

確保他們採取行動， 從源頭阻止空氣污染。

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

要保護我們自己及我們美麗的大腦，

and to protect our beautiful brain.

這是我們必須要做的第一件事。

Thank you very much.

非常謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）