联合国前副秘书长：中国的改变是人类史上“前所未有的”

联合国前副秘书长近日撰文写道，过去十年来，中国在环境和气候方面取得了巨大的成就，中国发生了“前所未有的”改变。他指出，解决气候环境问题是有利于环境、经济和社会的“三赢”之举。

Erik Solheim, the former United Nations under-secretary-general and former executive director of the UN Environment Programme, has visited China many times since 1984 to witness the "uNPRecedented" changes in human history.

曾任联合国副秘书长兼环境规划署执行主任的埃里克·索尔海姆自1984年以来多次到访中国，亲眼见证了人类历史上“前所未有”的变化。

These include what he called "a sea change" in China in the last five to 10 years on the environment and climate change front.

这些变化包括过去五到十年间中国在环境和气候变化方面发生的“巨变”。

"It's true that if you go back 10 years, Chinese cities were among the most polluted in the world. Then people demanded change, and the leadership responded," Solheim said.

索尔海姆称：“回到十年前，中国城市确实是世界上污染最严重的。后来人们要求改变，于是领导层做出了回应。”

The Norwegian politician believes that leadership is the most critical factor in dealing with the environment and climate challenges.

来自挪威索尔海姆认为，领导层是应对环境和气候挑战最关键的因素。

"Nations under good leadership have prospered and developed extremely fast. Nations with poor leadership have huge difficulties," he said.

他说道：“在好的领导下，国家会繁荣兴旺，飞速发展。如果领导不力，国家就会面临巨大困难。”

Solheim, who once served as Norwegian minister for international development and minister for environment, praised China's political structure as a "very capable and merit-based" one, clearly referring to leaders who rise to the top after working many years at various levels of local governments.

曾任挪威环境与外援大臣的索尔海姆称赞中国的政治结构“以执政表现为基础，非常出色”，他指的显然是那些在各级地方政府工作多年然后才升任到高层的领导人。

He said that the political systems in China, the United States and Europe are different, but they should respect each other and work together.

他指出，中国、美国和欧洲的政治体制不同，但是它们应该相互尊重，共同合作。

He regretted that not many people in North America and Europe understand the huge achievements China has made on the environment and climate front, saying that China is now a world leader in terms of basic environmental technology from solar power to electric cars to high-speed rail.

他感到遗憾的是，北美和欧洲没有多少人理解中国在环境和气候方面取得的巨大成就，并表示中国如今在太阳能、电动汽车及高铁等环境基础科技领域引领全球。

He described China's efforts to protect wetlands and vulnerable ecosystems in heavily populated areas as "very difficult and challenging" and a "world-class development".

他认为，中国为保护人口密集地区的湿地和脆弱的生态系统付出的努力“十分艰难且具有很大挑战性”，而且取得了“世界级的进展”。

"In terms of these practices, China is one of the leaders of the world," Solheim said, citing the examples from Suzhou to Shenzhen as "among the greenest and environmental friendly" cities.

索尔海姆说：“在这些行动上，中国是处于全球领先地位。”他援引了苏州和深圳等范例，称其为“绿化最好、最环保的”城市。

Solheim said he wanted to tell the deputies and members to the ongoing annual sessions of the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee that the environment and climate fight will be a win-win-win.

索尔海姆说，他想告诉正在参加全国两会的人大代表和政协委员们，环境和气候战斗将是“三赢”。

He elaborated that the triple wins mean win ecologically, win economically, including creating jobs, and win socially now that people bid farewell to pollution and live better lives.

他解释道，“三赢”指的是生态方面的胜利、经济方面的胜利（包括创造就业岗位）和社会方面的胜利（人们告别污染，过上更好的生活）。

The former senior UN official believes it's possible for major global players, such as China, the US and the European Union, to work together on climate change. He said that such cooperation will benefit everyone and that no area is more ripe for cooperation than on environment and climate.

他认为，像中国、美国和欧盟这样的世界主要参与者是有可能在气候变化问题上一起合作的。他表示，这种合作将会让所有人受益，没有哪一个领域比环境和气候的合作时机更成熟。