Development and the Environment(環境與發展)

                       Development and the Environment

      It is undeniable that the worsening environment has become the biggest concern of the present-day world. Land resources are dwindling because of water loss and soil erosion. Waste gases poison the air we breathe. The rivers and lakes are polluted by waste dumped in them from factories. It is probably no exaggeration to say that deterioration of the quality of the environment threatens the existence of mankind itself.

      Some people are of the opinion that the environmental problem is the price we have to pay for economic development. But I do not think that this argument is valid. After all, what is the point of economic growth if people's lives are adversely alfected by worsening environmental pollution?

      There is plenty of evidence to show that sustainable development can be achieved by balancing economic growth with protection of the environment. The key to achieving this is to make people aware of the seriousness of the problem. Both governments and ordinary citizens should join hands to make this world a better place to live in, not only for ourselves, but also for future generations.

    環境與發展

    不可否認的是環境惡化已成為當今世界上人們最擔心的事了。因為水資源的浪費和土壤被侵蝕，土地資源逐漸縮小。我們呼吸著有毒的空氣，河流和湖泊也被附近的工廠里排放出來的廢棄物嚴重污染了。不夸大其詞地說，環境質量的惡化很可能威脅人類的生存。

    有些人說環境問題是我們為經濟發展所付出的代價。對此，我不敢茍同。如果人類的生活被日益惡化的環境污染所影響的話，那么，經濟發展的意義何在?

    足夠的證據表明：經濟發展與環境保護的平衡可以實現可持續發展。關鍵是使人們意識到問題的嚴重性。政府和普通市民兩方都應該攜手使地球成為更適合人類居住的地方，這不僅是為我們自己，也是為我們的后代。