圖瓦盧希望成為世界上首個數字化的國傢 “digital country”。圖瓦盧位於夏威夷和澳大利亞之間，由多個礁島和環礁共同組成。由於海平面上漲，許多圖瓦盧居民都不得不離開自己的傢園。圖瓦盧政府希望通過記錄和保存歷史文件、地圖、傳統音樂和其他信息在互聯網上重建這個國傢。然而，將一個國傢完全遷移到互聯網上依然存在著許多問題。本文討論數字化國傢面臨的挑戰。
詞匯：climate change 氣候變化
Tuvalu, the fourth smallest nation in the world, announced its intention to become the world’s first digital country back in 2022. But why, and how?
Facing the devastating effects of rising sea levels caused by climate change, the nation, made up of three reef islands and six atolls, is rapidly becoming uninhabitable. Tuvalu sits between Hawaii and Australia and is grappling with increasingly dire conditions. In 2022, at high tide, nearly 40% of the capital became submerged, according to the news agency Reuters. A recent assessment by scientists at NASA indicated that “much of the land plus critical infrastructure will sit below the level of the current high tide by 2050″. And projections suggest the entire country could be underwater by the year 2100. Global warming has already displaced many of Tuvalu’s 11,000 inhabitants, while coral bleaching and coastal erosion continue to degrade the surrounding environment.
This is why the government plans to back up the country and rebuild a virtual online replica. The announcement was first made at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27 by Tuvalu’s Minister of Justice, Simon Kofe. He said, “As our land slips below the ocean, we have no choice but to become the world’s first digital nation. Our land, our ocean, our culture are the most precious assets of our people”.
The country has since been preserving Tuvalu’s cultural and historical identity by recording historical documents, maps, family photograph albums, traditional songs, and other cultural practices, all of which will be accessible online. In early 2024, Place, a global non-profit organisation, began mapping the physical features of Funafuti, Tuvalu’s capital, using drones and 360-degree cameras.
Though moving a country online has legal challenges – international law requires a country to have territory and population, both of which are uncertain in Tuvalu’s future. At the same time, critics argue the plan is just for publicity, highlighting the need to reduce emissions.
Whatever happens, a digital twin of the country will help preserve its culture and heritage for generations to come.
詞匯表
reef island 礁島
atoll 環礁
uninhabitable 無法居住的
grapple with 努力應對
high tide 滿潮，潮水最高的時候
submerged 沒入水中的，被液體淹沒的
critical infrastructure 關鍵的基礎設施
underwater 水面下的
displace 使…離開傢園，流離失所
coral bleaching 珊瑚白化
coastal erosion 海岸侵蝕
degrade 危害，使…劣化
back up 備份
virtual replica 虛擬復制品
slip below 逐漸滑入…以下
preserve 保護，保存
map 繪制（地圖等）
territory 領土
emission 排放
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. How could sea levels affect Tuvalu in 2100?
2. What is causing the degradation of the surrounding environment of Tuvalu?
3. True or False? Simon Kofe says a digital replica is just one option of many they have for preserving the country.
4. How is Tuvalu preserving its identity?
5. True or False? International law makes it difficult for Tuvalu to become a digital country.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. The earthquake has damaged critical _______ like power lines and hospitals.
reef island atoll coast infrastructure
2. Oh no! I didn’t _______ my laptop onto a hard drive and now it’s broken.
degrade grapple with back up preserve
3. Careful on the ice. You don’t want to _______.
map slip displace highlight
4. The planet is so hot that it is said to be _______. Nothing could survive there.
virtual submerged underwater uninhabitable
5. At _______, the town is at risk of severe flooding.
emissions erosion high tide bleached
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. How could sea levels affect Tuvalu in 2100?
Projections suggest the entire country could be underwater by 2100.
2. What is causing the degradation of the surrounding environment of Tuvalu?
Coral bleaching and coastal erosion are degrading the surrounding environment.
3. True or False? Simon Kofe says a digital replica is just one option of many they have for preserving the country.
False. He said, “we have no choice but to become the world’s first digital nation”.
4. How is Tuvalu preserving its identity?
It is recording historical documents, maps, family photograph albums, traditional songs, and other cultural practices.
5. True or False? International law makes it difficult for Tuvalu to become a digital country.
True. International law requires a country to have territory and population, both of which are uncertain for Tuvalu’s future.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. The earthquake has damaged critical infrastructure like power lines and hospitals.
2. Oh no! I didn’t back up my laptop onto a hard drive and now it’s broken.
3. Careful on the ice. You don’t want to slip.
4. The planet is so hot that it is said to be uninhabitable. Nothing could survive there.
5. At high tide, the town is at risk of severe flooding.
免費試聽
填表領取25分鐘真人外師課＋英文程度分析
