爲解決飲用水短缺 阿聯酋欲從南極拖冰山

Encouraging life to bloom in the middle of a desert is no easy task.

在沙漠中生活絕非易事。

But one company in the United Arab Emirates has come up with a bizarre plan to provide drinking water for the state's citizens.

但是阿聯酋一家公司想出妙計，解決民衆飲水問題。

The firm intends to haul icebergs from Antarctica to the gulf coast in order to harvest its billions of gallons of fresh water.

這家公司計劃從南極洲拖運冰山到中東海灣，從中獲得大量淡水。

The National Advisor Bureau, headquartered in Masdar City, Abu-Dhabi, plans to source the massive blocks of ice from Heard Island, around 600 miles (1000 kilometres) off the coast of mainland Antarctica.

總部位於阿布扎比馬斯達爾城的國家顧問局有限公司計劃從赫德島開採冰山。赫德島位於南極洲外海，約600英里（1000公里）處。

It will then transport them around 5,500 miles (8,800 km) to Fujairah, one of the seven emirates which make up the UAE.

冰山會被運往阿聯酋的七個酋長國之一---富查伊拉，全程5500英里（8800公里）。

One iceberg could provide enough for one million people over five years, according to the company.

該公司稱，每座冰山產生的淡水夠100萬人飲用五年。

And the scheme could begin as early as the start of 2018.

項目在2018年年初就可以啓動。

The firm's director says they have already travelled the transportation route and used simulators to check the feasibility of the scheme, according to reports in Gulf News.

據《海灣新聞報》報道，該公司經理表示，他們已經行駛過運輸路線，並用模擬器覈實了這項計劃的可行性。

Speaking to the site about what he is calling the UAE Iceberg Project, Abdullah Mohammad Sulaiman Al Shehi said: 'Our simulator predicts that it will take up to one year [to tow an iceberg to UAE].

阿卜杜拉-穆罕默德把整個項目稱爲阿聯酋冰山計劃，他告訴記者：“根據模擬器預測，整個計劃預計耗時一年（把冰山拖回阿聯酋）。”

'We have formulated the technical and financial plan. Towing is the best method. We will start the project in beginning of 2018.

“我們已經擬定了技術和資金方案。拖拽可能是最好的方式。2018年年初，我們就啓動計劃。”

'We want it mainly for the water. It could also be good for tourism and the weather.'

“我們主要是想獲得水資源，不過可能對旅遊業和天氣也有好處。”

The UAE is one of the most arid countries and one of the top 10 most water-scarce in the world, due to its extremely arid climate, which receives less than four inches (100 mm) of rainfall per year.

由於氣候極度乾燥，阿聯酋是世界上最乾旱的國家之一，也是全球水資源最短缺的十大國家之一，年降雨量不足4英寸（100毫米）。

Despite that, it consumes more water than double the global national average putting the country at severe risk of droughts over the next 25 years.

儘管如此，它每年的用水量仍高於全球平均水平的兩倍不止，致使整個國家在未來25年中要面臨嚴重的乾旱問題。

An average iceberg contains more than 20 billion gallons of water, according to the Abu Dhabi-based company.

國家顧問局有限公司稱，每座冰山含有200億加侖（約100萬噸）以上的淡水量。

They take a long time to melt as 80 percent of their mass is underwater, while the white ice above reflects sunlight and deflects its heat.

拖行過程中冰山有約八成的部分都在水面以下，而且水面之上的白色的冰塊會反射陽光，轉移高溫，使得融化速度放緩，所以冰山不會融化。

Upon arrival at a specially constructed processing facility, workers will 'mine' the icebergs for their water supplies.

冰山會被安置在一個特製的加工設備中，工人將“開礦”冰山獲得用水。

Blocks of ice will be chipped off and placed in giant tanks, before being filtered and processed.

在過濾和加工前，大塊的冰山會被切碎，放在巨型容器中。

'This is the purest water in the world', Mr Al Shehi added.

阿卜杜拉說：“這是世界上最純淨的水源了。”

He also claims the iceberg's presence could provide a more moist micro-climate in the area, perhaps even prompting rainfall.

他還說，冰山的出現可能還會爲當地提供更溼潤的微氣候，甚至帶來更多降雨。

And the project may prove a boost for tourism if it proves a success, with people travelling to see the unusual sight of an iceberg off the coast of the Arabian Gulf.

如果成功的話，冰山還可能推動旅遊業。大量遊客會來到這裏，一睹罕見的景觀---阿拉伯灣的冰山。