香港禁止象牙貿易，進行「歷史性」投票
Hong Kong bans ivory trade in 』historic』 vote
導讀:世界上最大的象牙市場香港將全面禁止象牙貿易，此舉被稱為「大象的生命線」。
Hong Kong』s lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly to ban the trade in ivory, in a move campaigners described as "a lifeline for elephants".
香港立法人員以壓倒性多數票通過法案，禁止象牙貿易，此舉被稱為「大象的生命線」。
A similar ban was brought in across mainland China earlier this year.
今年早些時候，中國大陸也出台了類似的禁令。
Ivory sales will be phased out gradually in Hong Kong, stopping completely in 2021.
在香港，象牙貿易將逐步停止，將於2021年全面停止銷售。
Prior to the vote, demonstrators gathered outside Hong Kong』s legislature with signs reading: "Do you really need ivory chopsticks?"
投票之前，示威者高舉標語「你真的需要象牙筷子嗎?」聚集在香港立法機關外。
"Shutting down this massive ivory market has thrown a lifeline to elephants," said Bert Wander of the global advocacy group Avaaz.
「關閉龐大的象牙市場是留給大象的生命線，」全球倡導組織Avaaz的伯特胡姆斯說道。
How big is Hong Kong』s ivory market?
香港的象牙市場有多大？
Ivory from animal tusks - mostly those of elephants - has been traded in Hong Kong for more than 150 years.
象牙（動物長牙）在香港交易150多年了。
It is considered the world』s largest ivory market.
這是世界上最大的象牙市場。
WildAid Hong Kong, a conservation group, says the former British colony had a 670-tonne stockpile in 1989, when the global trade was banned.
保護組織香港野生救援表示，1989年全球貿易被禁時，這個前英國殖民地擁有670噸的庫存。
Only ivory dating from before that period is meant to be sold there, but campaigners say the legal trade is often a cover for illegal activities.
在此之前，象牙在這裡可以出售，但活動人士表示，合法貿易通常是非法活動的幌子。
In July 2017, authorities in Hong Kong said they had seized the world』s biggest ever haul of ivory tusks - some 7.2 tonnes.
2017年7月，香港有關部門表示，他們截獲了世界上最大的象牙，重約7.2噸。
More than 90% of those buying ivory in Hong Kong are from the Chinese mainland, which had hitherto been the world』s largest importer of elephant tusks.
超過90%在香港購買象牙的人來自中國大陸，迄今為止中國大陸一直是世界上最大的象牙進口國。
What does a gradual ban mean?
漸進式禁令意味著什麼？
The trade in Hong Kong will cease in three stages.
香港象牙貿易將經過三個階段全面停止。
First, there will be a ban on hunting trophies and ivory from after 1975, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) took effect.
首先，從1975年開始，禁止狩獵戰利品和象牙，屆時《瀕危野生動植物種國際貿易公約》(CITES)生效。
Later, ivory obtained before 1975 will also be included. And finally, traders will be obliged to dispose of their stock by 2021.
後來，1975年之前捕獲的象牙也涵蓋在內。最後，貿易商將不得不在2021年之前處理掉他們的庫存。
The penalties for ivory smuggling will also increase considerably.
對象牙走私的處罰力度也將大大加大。
Under the new law, offenders could be fined HK$10m ($1.3m; 1m pound), double the present amount, or imprisoned for 10 years instead of the current two.
根據新法律，違法者將被罰1000萬港元(合130萬美元或100萬英鎊),是目前所罰款項的兩倍,或者監禁10年而不是目前的兩年。
How have campaigners reacted?
活動人士有何反應？
Many conservationists have hailed the ban as a victory.
許多自然資源保護主義者都稱讚該禁令是一種勝利。
Alex Hofford of WildAid called it "a great moment in the history of elephant conservation".
野生救援的亞歷克斯胡福特稱這是「大象保護史上的偉大時刻」。
Hong Kong lawmaker Elizabeth Quat said the vote marked a great day for elephants, but that the changes must be enforced effectively.
香港立法人員伊莉莎白昆特說，這次投票對大象而言是一個偉大的日子，但改變必須得到有效實施。
"It』s now up to our law enforcement agencies to ensure the ban is properly implemented," she said.
她說:「現在要由我們執法機構來確保這項禁令得到合理執行。」
Some activists feel the timeframe is unnecessarily long, however. They point out that African elephants are still being killed for their tusks in huge numbers.
然而，一些活動人士認為，時間框架沒有必要太長。他們指出，非洲大象仍然因大量的象牙需求而被獵殺。
英文來源：BBC
中文翻譯：愛語吧英語頭條
TAG:英語頭條 |