意大利冰川穿上"防晒衣"

Glacier covered with tarpaulins

意大利冰川穿上“防晒衣”

A team of conservationists has begun the process of laying vast tarpaulin sheets to cover over 100,000 sq metres of the Presena glacier in Northern Italy to prevent it from melting due to global warming.

为了防止全球变暖令冰川融化，一群环保人士近日开始在意大利北部的普雷斯纳冰川上铺设巨大的防水油布，其覆盖面积超过10万平方米。

The sheets, which measure 70m x 5m, are sewn together and bags of sand are placed on them to weigh them down.

一卷卷70米长、5米宽的油布被缝合在一起，然后用沙袋压实。

The six-week process is repeated every year once the ski season is over and summer begins in full force.

每年滑雪季结束，夏季到来之时，当地都会再次展开这一为期六周的为山体覆盖防水油布的过程。

The conservation project was first undertaken by Italian firm Carosello-Tonale in 2008 - at which time only 30,000 sq metres of the glacier was covered.

2008年，意大利一家名为卡罗塞洛-托纳莱的公司首次开启了这个环保项目，当年只有3万平方米的冰川穿上了“防晒衣”。

The process of removing the protective tarps will begin in September, and will take another six weeks. Since 1993, the Presena glacier has lost more than one third of its volume.

移走这些防水油布的时间将从9月开始，也将持续6周时间。自1993年以来，普雷斯纳冰川的体积已减少1/3以上。