In a Rapidly Warming Arctic, Rain Where It Used to Snow 北極迅速變暖 往昔降雪處改下雨

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2023/02/03 第418期 訂閱/退訂∣看歷史報份

紐時周報精選 In a Rapidly Warming Arctic, Rain Where It Used to Snow 北極迅速變暖 往昔降雪處改下雨 Rule Does Little to Stem Spread of 'Ghost Guns' 美阻「幽靈槍枝」擴散新規成效甚微

In a Rapidly Warming Arctic, Rain Where It Used to Snow 北極迅速變暖 往昔降雪處改下雨 文/Raymond Zhong 譯/陳韋廷 北極迅速變暖 往昔降雪處改下雨 As humans warm the planet, the once reliably frigid and frozen Arctic is becoming wetter and stormier, with shifts in its climate and seasons that are forcing local communities, wildlife and ecosystems to adapt, scientists said Tuesday in an annual assessment of the region. 科學家們周二在對北極地區的年度評估中表示，隨著人類使地球變暖，昔日非常寒冷和冰凍的北極正在變得更潮濕且多風雨，氣候與季節的變化正迫使當地社區、野生動物和生態系統進行調適。 Even though 2022 was only the Arctic's sixth warmest year on record, researchers saw plenty of new signs this year of how the region is changing. 儘管2022年只是北極有紀錄以來第六溫暖的年份，但研究人員今年看到該地區正發生改變的許多新跡象。 A September heat wave in Greenland, for instance, caused the most severe melting of the island's ice sheet for that time of the year in over four decades of continuous satellite monitoring. In 2021, an August heat wave had caused it to rain at the ice sheet's summit for the first time. 例如，格陵蘭島9月熱浪導致島上冰蓋融化的嚴重程度，創衛星連續監測40多年來的同期之最。2021年8月的熱浪首度導致冰蓋頂部下雨。 "Insights about the circumpolar region are relevant to the conversation about our warming planet now more than ever," said Richard Spinrad, administrator of the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "We're seeing the impacts of climate change happen first in polar regions." 美國國家海洋暨大氣總署署長史賓拉德說：「對極地地區的深入了解，跟我們關於地球暖化的討論比以往任何時候都更相關。我們看到氣候變遷的影響最先發生在極地地區。」 Temperatures in the Arctic Circle have been rising much more quickly than those in the rest of the planet, transforming the region's climate into one defined less by sea ice, snow and permafrost and more by open water, rain and green landscapes. 北極圈氣溫上升速度一直比地球其他地區快上許多，這造成該地區的氣候不再由海冰、積雪和永凍土決定，而取決於開放水域、雨水與綠色景觀。 Nearly 150 experts from 11 nations compiled this year's assessment of Arctic conditions, the Arctic Report Card, which NOAA has produced since 2006. This year's report card was issued Tuesday. 來自11國近150名專家編纂今年的北極狀況評估報告，也就是美國國家海洋暨大氣總署2006年以來發布的《北極年度報告》。今年的報告在周二發布。 Between October 2021 and September, air temperatures above Arctic lands were the sixth warmest since 1900, the report card said, noting that the seven warmest years have been the last seven. Rising temperatures have helped plants, shrubs and grasses grow in parts of the Arctic tundra, and 2022 saw levels of green vegetation that were the fourth highest since 2000, particularly in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, northern Quebec and central Siberia. 報告中表示，北極在2021年10月到今年9月間的氣溫為1900年來第六高，並指最近7年是氣溫前七高的年份。氣溫上升有助於部分北極苔原地區植物、灌木及草的生長，2022年綠色植被水準創2000年以來第四高，尤其是在加拿大北極群島、魁北克北部及西伯利亞中部。 Indicators of sea ice rebounded this year after near-record-lows in 2021, but they were still below long-term averages, the assessment found. March is typically when the ice is at its greatest extent each year, September its lowest. At both points this year, ice levels were among the lowest since satellites have been making reliable measurements. 評估發現，2021年接近歷史低點後，海冰指標今年有所反彈，但仍低於長期平均水準。每年3月通常是海冰面積最大的時候，9月時則最小。在今年這兩個時間點，海冰冰層均是自衛星進行可靠測量以來最低。 　 Rule Does Little to Stem Spread of 'Ghost Guns' 美阻「幽靈槍枝」擴散新規成效甚微 文/Glenn Thrush 譯/陳韋廷 美阻「幽靈槍枝」擴散新規成效甚微 President Joe Biden celebrated the adoption of a federal rule in August that cracked down on the online sale of untraceable components for weapons known as ghost guns as a major step in stemming gun violence. But the rule has done little to stop the sale of key parts used to make deadly homemade firearms, according to officials and gun control groups. 拜登總統讚揚8月實施的一項聯邦規定是遏制槍枝暴力的重要一步，該規定打擊網路銷售難以追蹤、被稱為幽靈槍枝的武器零件。但官員與槍枝管制組織說，在阻止用來製造致命土製槍枝關鍵零件的銷售方面，該規定收效甚微。 The rule clarified the definition of a firearm under federal law to better regulate modern semi-automatic weapons. That in turn paved the way for regulating ready-made kits, which include all the parts needed to assemble a workable firearm in under an hour. 該規定闡明聯邦法律對槍枝的定義，以提高對現代半自動武器的管理。這因而也為規範現成組裝套件鋪平道路，這些套件包括一把可用槍枝所需的全部零件，可在1小時內裝好。 The move was a centerpiece of the administration's broader initiative to address the proliferation of illegal weapons driving an increase in mass shootings and violent crime — an effort highlighted by the passage of Biden's sweeping, if limited, bipartisan gun deal in June. But because the rule was created through executive action, rather than a statute validated by Congress, it has given companies confidence that they can keep selling individual gun parts. 非法武器擴散導致大規模槍擊及暴力犯罪增加，政府這項舉動，是解決此問題更廣大計畫的核心，這一行動因拜登全面但有限的跨黨派槍枝政策6月通過而獲凸顯。但由於該規定是透過行政命令制定，並非國會批准的法令，讓業者有信心能夠繼續銷售個別的槍枝零件。 Dozens of online retailers are still selling core components used to make ghost guns, also known as privately manufactured firearms, according to research by Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy group founded by Michael Bloomberg, a former mayor of New York City. Many have adopted the narrowest possible interpretation of the rule, continuing to sell so-called 80% frames and receivers, which require simple alterations to become operational. 紐約市前市長彭博創立的倡議組織「艾弗頓槍枝安全組織」研究顯示，數十家線上零售商仍在販售核心零件用於製造幽靈槍枝，也被稱為私人製造的槍枝。許多業者採用對該規定最狹隘的解釋，繼續銷售已經組裝8成的底座與機匣，這些東西僅需簡單改裝就能正常使用。 The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the agency responsible for enforcing gun laws, has been reluctant to target vendors who sell those parts out of concern that doing so would prompt a legal backlash. 負責執行槍枝法律的聯邦菸酒槍砲及爆裂物管理局（ATF）一直不願針對銷售這些零件的供應商，擔心這樣做會引發法律上的強力反彈。 ATF officials have cautioned that pushing the limits of the rule with a range of other changes, such as requiring federally licensed firearms dealers to place serial numbers on homemade guns bought from do-it-yourself sellers, could jeopardize it entirely. ATF官員警告，通過其他一系列改變來擴大該規定，如要求獲聯邦許可的槍枝經銷商向自製賣家購買的土製槍枝需標註序號，可能會徹底危及該規定。 The bureau, in consultation with senior leaders at the Justice Department, is hashing out a circular to clarify what the new rule means for the sale of components used to produce Glock-style pistols, the weapon of choice for many criminals seeking an untraceable firearm. The guidance is expected to be made public before the end of the year. 諮詢過司法部領導高層的聯邦菸酒槍砲及爆裂物管理局正擬定一份通告，以闡明新規定如何規範製作葛洛克式手槍的零件銷售。這是許多罪犯想擁有難以追蹤武器的首選。今年底前預計會發布指引。

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