同路人語
646 面對人類生存危機
Human crisis
自2019 年底新冠病毒受到關注, 到2020初傳到澳洲, 帶來了20多個月澳洲邊境封閉, 然後整個世界進入了我們所未曾經歷過的困難。在澳洲各地生活的人, 很大程度都在恐懼中經過, 而且很長時間都在與別人隔離狀態中生活。一下子, 生活不再一樣。
在這時期, 我們很多時要戴上口罩, 使用ZOOM來開會、學習及與人交談, 在家上班, 網購及叫外賣, 更沒有朋友到訪, 而我們也無法離開澳洲外遊。在遠方的親友只能通過影像見面, 社交生活大幅減少, 人好像變成個體生活。但隨著今年初疫苗研發成功, 到今天絕大部份澳洲人都已接種了疫苗, 社會也逐漸恢復正常。從11月1日開始, 澳洲人已可以自由離開澳洲及回來, 在不久之後, 澳洲的邊境又會重開, 實在是令人興奮的事。
不過, 這並不表示新冠病毒已消失了, 相反, 這正表示人類要學習與病毒共存。以後的日子, 我們要在有徵狀出現時進行檢測, 也要在需要時戴上口罩, 或是在公共地方保持社交距離, 在出入時使用登記進入軟件, 並且加強公共衛生, 降低病毒傳播的機會。新的生活方式, 提醒了我們人類的生存, 確實要面對無數看不見的危機。病毒無所不在, 在我們不經意時走進我們的生活, 是可以帶來毁滅性的後果。
不單是病毒, 連我們習慣著過了數千年, 看不見的生活方式, 也可以危害著人類的生存。在蘇格蘭格拉斯高正在舉行第26屆聯合國氣候變化會議, 由於全球氣候變暖, 同意訂出要在20世紀中期全界要達至碳零排放的目標, 盼望可以把全球氣溫上升控制在工業時代之前攝氏2度之內。這升高的2度, 會使水平線上升, 令現時接近3億人居住的土地沉在大海之下。要是全球氣溫上升4度, 則再有超過8億的人失去居住地方。
這些看不見的人類危機, 都提醒我們, 人與人之間, 社群與社群之間, 國與國之間, 都要合作, 面對在類面前那些看得見及看不見的危機。新冠疫情現時在澳洲等發達國家, 算是暫時紓緩了, 不過在全球中等及低收入國家之中, 接種了疫苗的人還不算多。我們願意與他們一起面對這挑戰嗎? 面對地球變暖帶來的危機, 我們願意改變生活方式, 去阻止這些災難的發生嗎?
我相信這是每一個在地球上生活的人, 都要真實地在自己內心面對的問題。
周偉文 社長
Human Crisis
Since the appearance of covid at the end of 2019 to its landing in Australia by early 2020, our national border was closed for 20 months and we entered a world of unprecedented troubles.
We have getting used to wearing masks, meeting with zoom, working from home, ordering online including meals, no friends at home and no travel aboard. We can only see our relatives overseas in video and we have cut our social life, in solitary living. With almost all Australians under vaccine protection by now we are slowly getting back to normal life. From 1st November we can travel in and out of the country and we are excited to see the borders fully opened again soon.
This does not mean the virus is gone forever but we need to learn how to live with it. We still need to test, wear mask, keep social distancing, check in with entry app and strengthen public health in order to contain the virus. This new living reminds us of human is under constant threat. Careless mistakes could bring upon disasters.
Not just the virus, even our human living over the past thousands of years could pose threat to the globe. The 26th Climate Change Conference now being held in Glasgow is aiming for zero carbon emission by the middle of this century. To counteract global warming, the rise of global temperature must return to within two degrees Celsius of the industrial era. A rise of two degrees would result in the rise of water level making the land of 300 million habitants underwater. Four degrees could make it to 800 million.
This invisible threat reminds us the importance of cooperation between nations, communities and individuals for a solution. Covid seems to be under control in developed countries for the moment, but it is a different story in other less developed countries where the vaccination rate remains low. Can we join hands to fight? Similarly on global warming can we change our life style to fight the crisis?
This is an issue to be seriously faced by everybody on the planet.
Mr. Raymond Chow, Publisher
