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KellyWanser_2019T-_治疗全球变暖的应急药物_-
I'm here to talk to you about something important that may be new to you. 今天,我要给各位分享一些 你们或许没听过,却至关重要的事情。
The governments of the world are about to conduct an unintentional experiment on our climate. 世界各国政府 将要对我们的气候做一个 无意的实验。
are about to:眼看就要;即将;正要;行将; conduct:v.实施;执行;表现;引导;n.举止;管理方法;经营方式;实施办法; unintentional:adj.非故意的;无意识的;
In 2020, new rules will require ships to lower their sulfur emissions by scrubbing their dirty exhaust or switching to cleaner fuels. 2020 年,出台了一些新规定, 要求船舶能够处理废气, 或改用更清洁的燃料 来降低硫的排放。
sulfur:vt.用硫磺处理;n.硫磺;硫磺色; emissions:n.(光、热、气等的)发出,排放;排放物;散发物;(emission的复数) scrubbing:n.[核]洗涤;v.用力擦洗(scrub的现在分词); exhaust:v.耗尽; n.(车辆、发动机或机器排出的)废气;
For human health, this is really good, but sulfur particles in the emission of ships also have an effect on clouds. 对人类健康而言,这是好事, 但船舶中的硫粒子排放 也会对云层产生影响。
particles:n.微粒,粒子;粒子系统;碎木料(particle的复数形式);
This is a satellite image of marine clouds off the Pacific West Coast of the United States. 这是美国太平洋西海岸 的海洋云层的卫星图像。
marine:adj.海的;海产的;海生的;海船的;n.(尤指美国或英国皇家)海军陆战队士兵; West Coast:n.美国西海岸(尤指加利福尼亚州); United:adj.联合的; v.联合,团结; (unite的过去分词和过去式)
The streaks in the clouds are created by the exhaust from ships. 云层中的条纹是由船只 排出的废气造成的。
streaks:n.[地质]条痕; v.形成条纹; in the clouds:心不在焉;在云层中;
Ships' emissions include both greenhouse gases, which trap heat over long periods of time, and particulates like sulfates that mix with clouds and temporarily make them brighter. 船舶的排放气体包括温室气体, 这些气体会不断积聚热量, 而硫酸盐等微粒与云层混合后, 会暂时使云层变亮。
greenhouse:n.温室;暖房; trap:v.使陷入困境;卡住;夹住;收集;吸收;n.陷阱;圈套;捕捉器;诡计; particulates:n.微粒;大气尘;微粒物质;空气中微小颗粒(particulate的复数形式); sulfates:n.[无化]硫酸盐(sulfate的复数); v.变成硫酸盐; temporarily:adv.临时地,临时;
Brighter clouds reflect more sunlight back to space, cooling the climate. 明亮的云层会把更多的 太阳光反射回太空, 降低温度。
reflect:v.反映;映出(影像);反射;表明,表达; sunlight:n.日光;
So in fact, humans are currently running two unintentional experiments on our climate. 所以,事实上, 人类是在对我们的气候进行 两种无意的实验。
currently:adv.当前;一般地;
In the first one, we're increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases and gradually warming the earth system. 第一个实验,我们在逐渐 增加温室气体的浓度, 慢慢导致全球气候变暖,
concentration:n.浓度;含量;集中;专心; gradually:adv.渐渐地;逐步地;
This works something like a fever in the human body. 这个过程有点像人体的发烧。
If the fever remains low, its effects are mild , but as the fever rises, damage grows more severe and eventually devastating . 如果发烧的温度比较低, 它的危害还不是很大, 但如果发烧的温度升高了, 会带来很大的危害, 并最终导致十分严重的后果。
mild:adj.温和的; n.(英国的一种)淡味麦芽啤酒; severe:adj.极为恶劣的;十分严重的;严厉的;苛刻的; eventually:adv.最后,终于; devastating:adj.毁灭性的; v.毁灭; (devastate的现在分词)
We're seeing a little of this now. 我们现在已经看到了一些这样的情况。
In our other experiment, we're planning to remove a layer of particles that brighten clouds and shield us from some of this warming. 在我们另一个实验中, 我们正计划移除一层粒子, 使云层变亮,并保护我们 免受气候变暖的影响。
brighten:vi.明亮;变亮;活跃;快乐高兴;vt.使闪亮;使生辉;使快乐高兴; shield:n.盾;防护物;保护者;v.遮蔽;包庇;避开;保卫;
The effect is strongest in ocean clouds like these, and scientists expect the reduction of sulfur emissions from ships next year to produce a measurable increase in global warming . 像这种效应在海洋云层中最强, 科学家预计明年船舶 硫排放量的减少, 将会导致可测量的全球气候变暖。
reduction:n.减少;缩小;降低;减价;折扣;缩图; measurable:adj.可测量的;重要的;重大的; global warming:n.全球(气候)变暖;地球大气层变暖;
Bit of a shocker ? 让人有些震惊吧？
shocker:n.令人震惊的人或事物;耸人听闻的故事或小说;
In fact, most emissions contain sulfates that brighten clouds: coal, diesel exhaust, forest fires. 实际上,很多包含硫的排放物 都可以使云层变亮: 煤,柴油废气,森林火灾。
diesel:n.柴油机;柴油;柴油车;内燃机车
Scientists estimate that the total cooling effect from emission particles, which they call aerosols when they're in the climate, may be as much as all of the warming we've experienced up until now. 科学家估计,来自 排放粒子的总冷却效应 （这些粒子在大气中被称为气体粒子） 可能和我们到目前为止 所经历的变暖差不多。
estimate:v.估计;估算;估价;n.估价;(对大小、数量、成本等的)估计;估计的成本; aerosols:n.[物化]气溶胶,喷雾器(aerosol的复数形式);
There's a lot of uncertainty around this effect, and it's one of the major reasons why we have difficulty predicting climate, but this is cooling that we'll lose as emissions fall. 这种效应存在很大的不确定性, 这是我们很难预测气候变化 的主要原因之一, 但随着排放量下降, 我们将失去这种降温方式。
uncertainty:n.不确定,不可靠; predicting:v.预言;预告;预报;(predict的现在分词)
So to be clear, humans are currently cooling the planet by dispersing particles into the atmosphere at massive scale . 再清楚的解释一下, 人类目前是通过大规模地 把废气粒子排放到大气 从而使地球降温的。
dispersing:n.分配,分散;adj.分散的;v.使散开;散布;驱散(disperse的现在分词); atmosphere:n.大气;气氛;气压;风格; massive:adj.大量的;巨大的,厚重的;魁伟的; scale:n.规模;比例;鳞;刻度;天平;数值范围;v.衡量;攀登;剥落;生水垢;
We just don't know how much, and we're doing it accidentally . 我们并不知道降温的程度, 我们只是无心插柳罢了 。
accidentally:adv.意外地:偶然,偶然地;
That's worrying, but it could mean that we have a fast-acting way to reduce warming, emergency medicine for our climate fever if we needed it, and it's a medicine with origins in nature. 这的确让人担忧, 但这也意味着我们有 快速的方法来降温, 如果需要的话,我们有 缓解气候过热的紧急方法, 并且这是一种源于自然的方法。
fast-acting:adj.快速的;n.快速作用;快断; emergency:n.紧急情况;突发事件;非常时刻;adj.紧急的;备用的; origins:n.起源; (origin的复数)
This is a NASA simulation of earth's atmosphere, showing clouds and particles moving over the planet. 这 NASA 对地球大气的模拟, 显示了云层和粒子 在地球上的移动情况。
simulation:n.仿真;模拟;模仿;假装;
The brightness is the Sun's light reflecting from particles in clouds, and this reflective shield is one of the primary ways that nature keeps the planet cool enough for humans and all of the life that we know. 明亮处是云层中粒子反射阳光的部分, 并且这种反射罩是自然为人类 和我们已知的所有生物 保持地球足够冷却 所准备的主要方式之一。
brightness:n.[光][天]亮度;聪明,活泼;鲜艳;愉快; reflecting:v.反映;映出(影像);反射;显示,表明,表达;(reflect的现在分词) reflective:adj.反射的;反映的;沉思的;
In 2015, scientists assessed possibilities for rapidly cooling climate. 2015 年,科学家评估了 快速冷却气候的可行性。
assessed:v.对…进行评估(assess过去时形式);
They discounted things like mirrors in space, ping-pong balls in the ocean, plastic sheets on the Arctic , and they found that the most viable approaches involved slightly increasing this atmospheric reflectivity . 他们不看重诸如那些太空镜子, 海洋中的乒乓球, 北极的塑料布之类的东西, 他们发现最可行的方法 是略微增加大气的反射率。
discounted:adj.已贴现的;已折扣的;v.打折扣(discount的过去分词);不重视; sheets:n.床单;被单;薄片,薄板;(sheet的复数) Arctic:adj.北极的;北极地区的;极冷的;严寒的;n.北极;北极地区; viable:adj.可行的;能养活的;能生育的; approaches:v.靠近,接近; n.方式,方法,态度; involved:adj.有关的; v.涉及; (involve的过去式和过去分词) slightly:adv.些微地,轻微地;纤细地; atmospheric:adj.大气的,大气层的; reflectivity:n.(材料对光或辐射的)反射率;
In fact, it's possible that reflecting just one or two percent more sunlight from the atmosphere could offset two degrees Celsius or more of warming. 事实上,将从大气中反射 的阳光增加一到两个百分点 可以影响 2 摄氏度的气温, 甚至更高的升温都是有可能的。
offset:vt.抵消;弥补;补偿;adj.胶印的;n.开端;出发;平版印刷;抵消;补偿 Celsius:adj.摄氏的;n.摄氏度;
Now, I'm a technology executive , not a scientist. 我是个技术主管,不是个科学家。
technology:n.技术;工艺;术语; executive:n.管理人员; adj.经营管理的;
About a decade ago, concerned about climate, 大概 10 年前,因为担忧气候问题,
concerned:adj.有关的;关心的;v.关心;与…有关;(concern的过去时和过去分词)
I started to talk with scientists about potential countermeasures to warming. 我开始和科学家们讨论 气候问题的潜在对策。
potential:n.潜能;可能性;[电]电势;adj.潜在的;可能的;势的; countermeasures:n.对策;[军]对抗措施(countermeasure的复数);
These conversations grew into collaborations that became the Marine Cloud Brightening Project, which I'll talk about momentarily , and the nonprofit policy organization SilverLining, where I am today. 这些对话发展成了 我一会儿将会讲到的 海洋云层增亮计划的合作项目, 和我今天身处的非盈利组织 SilverLining （暗夜曙光）。
collaborations:n.协作(collaboration的复数); Brightening:v.(使)更明亮;(使)快活起来;(使)有希望;(brighten的现在分词) momentarily:adv.随时地;暂时地;立刻; nonprofit:adj.非赢利的;不以赢利为目的的; policy:n.政策,方针;保险单; organization:n.组织;机构;体制;团体;
I work with politicians , researchers, members of the tech industry and others to talk about some of these ideas. 我跟政治家,研究者, 科技和其他行业的成员 讨论这些想法。
politicians:n.政治家;(蔑)政客;(美)政治贩;(politician的复数)
Early on, I met British atmospheric scientist John Latham, who proposed cooling the climate the way that the ships do, but with a natural source of particles: sea-salt mist from seawater sprayed from ships into areas of susceptible clouds over the ocean. 早些时候,我遇到了 英国气候学家约翰·莱瑟姆, 他提出了一种和船排放废气 同一原理的给气候降温的方式, 但使用一种天然的微粒来源: 海水中的海盐雾, 从船上喷射到海洋上 易受影响的云层中。
proposed:adj.建议的;推荐的;v.提议;建议;计划;求婚;(propose的过去分词和过去式) source:n.来源;水源;原始资料; mist:n.薄雾; v.(使)结满雾气(模糊不清); seawater:n.海水; sprayed:adj.喷雾的;v.喷射;散布(spray的过去式和过去分词); susceptible:adj.易受影响的;易感动的;容许…的;n.易得病的人;
The approach became known by the name I gave it then, "marine cloud brightening." 这项目因我起的名字“海洋云增亮” 而为人们所知。
Early modeling studies suggested that by deploying marine cloud brightening in just 10 to 20 percent of susceptible ocean clouds, it might be possible to offset as much as two degrees Celsius's warming. 早先模型研究显示只需在 10-20% 易受影响 的海洋云中部署“海洋云增亮”, 就可能会抵消多达 2 摄氏度的升温。
deploying:v.部署,调度(军队或武器);有效地利用;调动;(deploy的现在分词)
It might even be possible to brighten clouds in local regions to reduce the impacts caused by warming ocean surface temperatures. 它甚至可以通过使部分地区的云层变亮, 来减少海洋表面温度上升引发的影响。
regions:n.地区;地域;行政区;左近;(region的复数) impacts:n.影响; v.有影响,有作用;
For example, regions such as the Gulf Atlantic might be cooled in the months before a hurricane season to reduce the force of storms. 比如,在大西洋海湾等地, 在飓风季来临前的几个月降温, 可以降低风暴的威力。
Gulf:n.海湾;深渊;分歧;漩涡;vt.吞没; Atlantic:adj.大西洋的;巨人阿特拉斯的;n.大西洋; hurricane:n.飓风,暴风;
Or, it might be possible to cool waters flowing onto coral reefs overwhelmed by heat stress, like Australia's Great Barrier Reef . 或者,它也可以冷却流入 受热很强的珊瑚礁的水流, 比如,澳大利亚的大堡礁。
coral:n.珊瑚;珊瑚虫;adj.珊瑚的;珊瑚色的; reefs:n.礁石(reef的复数形式); v.收帆; overwhelmed:v.受打击,压倒;淹没;(overwhelm的过去分词和过去式) Barrier Reef:n.堡礁(近海岸的珊瑚礁);
But these ideas are only theoretical , and brightening marine clouds is not the only way to increase the reflection of the sunlight from the atmosphere. 但这些想法只停留在理论层面, 并且增亮海洋云层不是唯一一种 用来提高太阳光大气反射率的方法。
theoretical:adj.理论的;理论上的;假设的;推理的; reflection:n.反映;沉思;映像;深思;
Another occurs when large volcanoes release material with enough force to reach the upper layer of the atmosphere, the stratosphere . 另一种方式是利用大型火山 释放的具有足够的力量物质, 可以到达到达大气层 的上层,即平流层。
occurs:v.重现(occur的第三人称单数); volcanoes:n.火山爆发,火山;火山群(volcano复数); release:v.释放;发射;让与;允许发表;n.释放;发布;让与; upper:adj.上面的;内陆的;n.靴面;兴奋剂; stratosphere:n.同温层;最上层;最高阶段;
When Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991, it released material into the stratosphere, including sulfates that mix with the atmosphere to reflect sunlight. 在 1991 年,皮纳图博火山爆发时, 它释放到大气中的物质, 包括与大气混合 可以反射阳光的硫酸盐。
Mount:n.山;坐骑;山峰;衬纸板;v.登上;爬上;攀登;准备; erupted:v.爆发;长出(erupt的过去分词); released:v.释放;使免除;已发布;(release的过去分词和过去式)
This material remained and circulated around the planet. 这些物质仍然存在并在地球上循环。
circulated:v.(液体或气体)环流,循环;传播;流传;散布;(circulate的过去式和过去分词)
It was enough to cool the climate by over half a degree Celsius for about two years. 它足以在大约两年的时间中降温 约 0.5 摄氏度。
This cooling led to a striking increase in Arctic ice cover in 1992, which dropped in subsequent years as the particles fell back to earth. 这种降温导致 1992 年 北极冰层覆盖率显着增加, 然而在随后几年,随着这些粒子 落回地面,冰层覆盖率也随之下降。
subsequent:adj.后来的,随后的;
But the volcanic phenomenon led Nobel Prize winner Paul Crutzen to propose the idea that dispersing particles into the stratosphere in a controlled way might be a way to counter global warming. 但火山现象促使诺贝尔奖得主 保罗·克鲁岑提出了一个想法, 即以可控的方式将粒子播撒到平流层, 可能是解决全球变暖的一种方式。
volcanic:adj.火山的;猛烈的;易突然发作的;n.火山岩; phenomenon:n.现象;杰出的人;非凡的人(或事物); Nobel Prize:n.诺贝尔奖;
Now, this has risks that we don't understand, including things like heating up the stratosphere or damage to the ozone layer . 这个措施存在我们尚不清楚的风险, 包括加热平流层, 或者破坏臭氧层。
ozone layer:n.臭氧层;
Scientists think that there could be safe approaches to this, but is this really where we are? 科学家认为会有安全的方式来实现, 但我们真的能做到吗？
Is this really worth considering? 这真的值得考虑吗？
This is a simulation from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research global climate model showing, earth surface temperatures through 2100. 这个来自 美国国家大气研究中心 的全球气候模型显示了到 2100 年的地球表面温度。
The globe on the left visualizes our current trajectory , and on the right, a world where particles are introduced into the stratosphere gradually in 2020, and maintained through 2100. 左边的显示了地球 按目前轨迹的情况, 而右边,则是一个 2020 年 微粒被逐渐播撒到 平流层, 并维持到 2100 年的情况。
visualizes:vt.形象,形象化;想像,设想;vi.显现; trajectory:n.[物]轨道,轨线;[航][军]弹道; maintained:v.维持;维修;保养;固执己见;(maintain的过去式和过去分词)
Intervention keeps surface temperatures near those of today, while without it, temperatures rise well over three degrees. 干预让表面温度接近目前的水平, 而没有干预,温度将上升超过 3 度。
Intervention:n.介入;调停;妨碍;
This could be the difference between a safe and an unsafe world. 这可能是安全和不安全世界的差异。
unsafe:adj.不安全的;危险的;不安稳的;
So, if there's even a chance that this could be close to reality, is this something we should consider seriously? 所以,如果存在可能接近现实的机会, 这是我们应该认真考虑的吗？
Today, there are no capabilities, and scientific knowledge is extremely limited . 今天,我们现有的能力仍然不足, 相关科学知识非常有限。
scientific:adj.科学的,系统的; extremely:adv.非常,极其;极端地; limited:adj.有限的; n.高级快车; v.限制; (limit的过去分词和过去式)
We don't know whether these types of interventions are even feasible , or how to characterize their risks. 我们不知道这种干预是否具有弹性, 或如何描述它们的风险。
interventions:n.[法]干预,干涉;处置(intervention的复数); feasible:adj.可行的;可能的;可实行的; characterize:v.描述;是…的特征;以…为典型;使…具有特点(或最引人注目的特征);
Researchers hope to explore some basic questions that might help us know whether or not these might be real options or whether we should rule them out. 研究者希望找到一些基本问题 来帮助我们理解这些 是否是真正的选项, 还是我们应该排除的选择。
explore:v.探索:探测:探险: whether or not:是否…; options:n.选择; v.得到或获准进行选择; (option的三单形式)
It requires multiple ways of studying the climate system, including computer models to forecast changes, analytic techniques like machine learning, and many types of observations . 这要求多种研究气候系统的方法, 包括预测变化的电脑模型, 类似机器学习的分析技术, 以及很多类型的观测。
multiple:adj.数量多的;多种多样的;n.倍数; forecast:n.预测;预报;v.预测;预报; analytic:adj.分析的;解析的;善于分析的; techniques:n.技巧;技艺;工艺;技术;(technique的复数) observations:n.观察,观察值;观察结果;(observation的复数形式);
And though it's controversial , it's also critical that researchers develop core technologies and perform small-scale , real-world experiments. 尽管这存在争议, 研究者开发核心技术并进行小规模, 真实世界的实验也很重要。
controversial:adj.有争议的;有争论的; critical:adj.鉴定的;[核]临界的;批评的,爱挑剔的;危险的;决定性的;评论的; core:n.核心;要点;果心;[计]磁心;vt.挖...的核; technologies:n.技术;科技(technology的复数); perform:v.表演;执行;履行;演出;工作,运转(好/不好); small-scale:adj.小规模的; real-world:adj.现实生活的;工作的;
There are two research programs proposing experiments like this. 有两个研究项目提出了这样的实验。
proposing:v.提议;建议;打算;计划;求婚;(propose的现在分词)
At Harvard , the SCoPEx experiment would release very small amounts of sulfates, calcium carbonate and water into the stratosphere with a balloon, to study chemistry and physics effects. 在哈佛大学,SCoPEx实验 将用气球向平流层 释放非常少量的硫酸盐、 碳酸钙和水, 来研究化学和物理效应。
Harvard:n.哈佛大学;哈佛大学学生; calcium carbonate:n.[化]碳酸钙;
How much material? 有多少物质？
Less than the amount released in one minute of flight from a commercial aircraft . 不到商业航班一分钟内 的排放量。
commercial:adj.贸易的;商业的;赢利的;以获利为目的的;n.(电台或电视播放的)广告; aircraft:n.飞机,航空器;
So this is definitely not dangerous, and it may not even be scary. 所以这当然没有危害, 也谈不上可怕。
definitely:adv.清楚地,当然;明确地,肯定地;
At the University of Washington, scientists hope to spray a fine mist of salt water into clouds in a series of land and ocean tests. 在华盛顿大学, 科学家们希望在一系列 的陆地和海洋测试中, 向云层中喷洒一层细盐水雾。
salt water:海水的; series:n.系列,连续;[电]串联;级数;丛书;
If those are successful, this would culminate in experiments to measurably brighten an area of clouds over the ocean. 如果这些尝试成功了, 我们将可以测量到 海洋上空的云层将变得明亮。
culminate:v.(以某种结果)告终;(在某一点)结束; measurably:adv.可以测定的程度;可视地;
The marine cloud brightening effort is the first to develop any technology for generating aerosols for atmospheric sunlight reflection in this way. 海洋云层增亮努力是第一个 利用技术来产生微粒, 以增加大气阳光反射的方式。
generating:v.产生;引起;(generate的现在分词)
It requires producing very tiny particles -- think about the mist that comes out of an asthma inhaler -- at massive scale -- so think of looking up at a cloud. 这要求生产非常小的微粒—— 想想哮喘吸入器喷出的雾气—— 扩大规模——想想天上的云朵。
asthma:n.[内科][中医]哮喘,气喘; inhaler:n.[临床]吸入器;空气过滤器;吸入者;
It's a tricky engineering problem. 这是个棘手的工程问题。
tricky:adj.难办的;难对付的;狡猾的;诡计多端的; engineering:n.工程;工程学;v.密谋策划;设计制造;改变…的基因;(engineer的现在分词)
So this one nozzle they developed generates three trillion particles per second, 80 nanometers in size, from very corrosive saltwater . 这是他们开发的一个喷嘴, 每秒钟能产生 3 万亿微粒, 每一粒有 80 纳米大小, 来自腐蚀性很强的盐水。
nozzle:n.喷嘴;管口;鼻; generates:[计]生成;发生; trillion:n.[数]万亿;adj.万亿的;num.[数]万亿; nanometers:n.[计量]毫微米(即十亿分之一米); corrosive:adj.腐蚀的;侵蚀性的;n.腐蚀物; saltwater:adj.盐水的;海产的;
It was developed by a team of retired engineers in Silicon Valley -- here they are -- working full-time for six years, without pay, for their grandchildren. 它是由一群硅谷 的退休工程师开发的—— 就是他们—— 6 年全职工作,没有薪水,为了后代。
Silicon Valley:n.硅谷(美国加利福尼亚州一处计算机和电子公司聚集地,有时用以指任何计算机公司聚集地); full-time:adj.专职的;全日制的;全部时间的;
It will take a few million dollars and another year or two to develop the full spray system they need to do these experiments. 还需要几百万美元和一到两年的时间 来开发需要用来做这些实验 的全套喷洒系统。
In other parts of the world, research efforts are emerging , including small modeling programs at Beijing Normal University in China, the Indian Institute of Science, 在世界其他地方, 研究者的努力正在兴起, 包括北京师范大学的小型建模项目, 印度科学研究院,
emerging:adj.新兴的;v.出现,浮现,露出;暴露;(emerge的现在分词) Institute:v.开始(调查);制定;创立;提起(诉讼);n.学会,协会;学院;
a proposed center for climate repair at Cambridge University in the UK and the DECIMALS Fund , which sponsors researchers in global South countries to study the potential impacts of these sunlight interventions in their part of the world. 英国剑桥大学气候修复中心, 还有DECIMALS基金, 资助了全球南部国家的研究人员, 以研究这些阳光干预措施 对他们所在地区 的潜在影响。
repair:v.修理;修补;修缮;补救;n.修理;修补;修缮; Cambridge:n.剑桥(英国城市);坎布里奇(美国马萨诸塞州城市); DECIMALS:n.[数]小数(decimal的复数形式);位数; Fund:n.基金;资金;存款;v.投资;资助; sponsors:n.赞助商;主办单位(sponsor的复数);v.赞助(sponsor的三单形式);主办;倡议;
But all of these programs, including the experimental ones, lack significant funding . 但所有这些项目,包括实验性的项目, 缺乏足够的资金。
experimental:adj.实验的;根据实验的;试验性的; significant:adj.重大的;有效的;有意义的;值得注意的;意味深长的;n.象征;有意义的事物; funding:n.基金;资金;提供资金;v.为…提供资金;拨款给;(fund的现在分词)
And understanding these interventions is a hard problem. 但了解这些干预措施是个复杂的问题。
The earth is a vast, complex system and we need major investments in climate models, observations and basic science to be able to predict climate much better than we can today and manage both our accidental and any intentional interventions. 地球是个巨大,复杂的系统, 我们需要大力投资气候模型、观测 和基础科学 来获得比今天更好气候预测, 并管理我们任何有意 或无意的干预措施。
complex:adj.复杂的;合成的;n.复合体;综合设施; investments:n.[经]投资,投资的财产;投资学;(investment的复数)
And it could be urgent . 这可能很紧急。
urgent:adj.紧急的;急迫的;
Recent scientific reports predict that in the next few decades, earth's fever is on a path to devastation : extreme heat and fires, major loss of ocean life, collapse of Arctic ice, displacement and suffering for hundreds of millions of people. 最近的科学报告预测,未来几十年, 地球的发热正走向毁灭: 酷热及火灾, 海洋生命的大面积死亡, 北极冰崩, 数亿人口流离失所,饱受苦难。
devastation:n.毁坏,荒废; collapse:vi.倒塌;瓦解;暴跌;vt.使倒塌,使崩溃;使萎陷;折叠;n.倒塌;失败;衰竭; displacement:n.取代,位移;[船]排水量;
The fever could even reach tipping points where warming takes over and human efforts are no longer enough to counter accelerating changes in natural systems. 此类气候升温甚至会达到 临界点,变成温暖主导, 直到人类的努力再也不能够 扭转自然系统的加速变化。
tipping:n.倾卸台;adj.倾翻的;倾卸的;v.使倾斜;轻拍;踮起脚走(tip的现在分词); accelerating:adj.促进的,[物]加速的;催化的;
To prevent this circumstance , the UN's International Panel on Climate Change predicts that we need to stop and even reverse emissions by 2050. 为了防止这种情况发生, 联合国气候变化国际小组预测, 我们需要在 2050 年停止, 甚至逆转温室气体排放。
circumstance:n.环境,情况;事件;境遇; Panel:n.镶板;仪表盘;钣金;(衣服上的)镶条;v.镶板(用木或玻璃板等镶嵌或装饰); predicts:vt.预报,预言;预知;vi.作出预言;作预料,作预报; reverse:n.反面; v.颠倒; adj.相反的;
How? We have to quickly and radically transform major economic sectors , including energy, construction , agriculture, transportation and others. 怎样实现？我们需要主要 经济部门的快速和根本变革, 包括能源,建筑,农业,交通和其他。
radically:adv.根本上;彻底地;以激进的方式; transform:v.使改变;使改观;使转换;n.[数]变换式;[化]反式; economic:adj.经济的,经济上的;经济学的; sectors:n.部门; v.把…划成扇形; construction:n.建设;建筑物;解释;造句; transportation:n.运输;运输系统;运输工具;流放;
And it is imperative that we do this as fast as we can. 我们必须尽快做到这一点。
imperative:adj.重要紧急的; n.重要紧急的事;
But our fever is now so high that climate experts say we also have to remove massive quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere, possibly 10 times all of the world's annual emissions, in ways that aren't proven yet. 但我们地球的发热现在如此之高, 以致气候专家说我们还需要移除 大气中的海量二氧化碳, 可能是世界年排放量的 10 倍, 用还没有验证过的方式。
quantities:n.数量;数目;大量;大宗;(quantity的复数) annual:n.年报;年鉴;年刊;adj.每年的;年度的;一年的;
Right now, we have slow-moving solutions to a fast-moving problem. 现在,我们对一个快速变化的问题 有一个缓慢发展的解决方案。
slow-moving:adj.滞销的;动作缓慢的; fast-moving:adj.移动迅速的;
Even with the most optimistic assumptions , our exposure to risk in the next 10 to 30 years is unacceptably high, in my opinion . 即便用最乐观的预估, 我们在接下来 10-30 年要面对的风险 也是无法承受的,就我的观点而言。
optimistic:adj.乐观的;乐观主义的; assumptions:n.假定;假设;承担;获得;(assumption的复数) exposure:n.暴露;显露;揭露;面临; unacceptably:不能接受地; in my opinion:在我看来;我认为;
Could interventions like these provide fast-acting medicine if we need it to reduce the earth's fever while we address its underlying causes? 如果我们需要这样的干预措施来 降低地球的温度,同时从根本上解决问题, 那么这些干预措施能否 提供快速见效的药物呢？
underlying:adj.根本的; v.构成…的基础; (underlie的现在分词)
There are real concerns about this idea. 人们对这些想法存在切实担忧。
concerns:n.关注; v.使关心(concern的三单形式);
Some people are very worried that even researching these interventions could provide an excuse to delay efforts to reduce emissions. 有些人非常担心即便 是研究这些干预措施 都可能会给推迟减排努力提供借口。
This is also known as a moral hazard . 这里也存在道德风险。
moral:n.寓意;品行;教益;adj.道德的;道义上的;道德上的;品行端正的; hazard:n.危害;危险;v.试着提出;大胆猜测;冒…的风险;使处于危险中;
But, like most medicines, interventions are more dangerous the more that you do, so research actually tends to draw out the fact that we absolutely , positively cannot continue to fill up the atmosphere with greenhouse gases, that these kinds of alternatives are risky and if we were to use them, we would need to use as little as possible. 但是,就像大部分药品, 干预越多越危险, 所以研究者倾向于得提出这个事实, 即我们绝对不能继续 用温室气体填充大气, 这些替代方式是有风险的, 如果我们使用它们, 我们需要尽可能少地使用。
absolutely:adv.绝对地;完全地; positively:adv.肯定地;明确地;断然地; alternatives:n.可供选择的事物;(alternative的复数)
But even so, could we ever learn enough about these interventions to manage the risk? 但即便如此, 我们能否足够了解这些干预, 从而用它们来管理风险？
Who would make decisions about when and how to intervene ? 谁来做决定什么时候和如何干预？
intervene:vi.干涉;调停;插入;
What if some people are worse off, or they just think they are? 如果有些人情况糟糕, 或者他们这样认为呢？
What if:如果…怎么办?
These are really hard problems. 这些都是困难的问题。
But what really worries me is that as climate impacts worsen , leaders will be called on to respond by any means available . 但真正让我担忧的是 随着气候影响恶化, 各国领导人将会被要求用 现存的各种方式做出反应。
worsen:vi.恶化;变得更坏;更坏;vt.使恶化;使变得更坏; respond:vi.回答;作出反应;承担责任;n.应答;唱和; by any means available:不择手段;
I for one don't want them to act without real information and much better options. 我不希望他们在没有真实信息 和更多好的选项的情况下行动。
Scientists think it will take a decade of research just to assess these interventions, before we ever were to develop or use them. 在我们能够开发和利用这些干预措施前, 科学家认为需要 10 年的研究 才能评估它们的效果。
Yet today, the global level of investment in these interventions is effectively zero. 然而今天,对这些干预的 全球级别的投入 基本上是零。
So, we need to move quickly if we want policymakers to have real information on this kind of emergency medicine. 所以,我们需要快速行动, 如果我们想要政策制定者具备 这种应急医药的真实信息。
policymakers:n.决策人;(policymaker的复数)
There is hope! 希望是存在的！
The world has solved these kinds of problems before. 世界曾经解决过类似的问题。
In the 1970s, we identified an existential threat to our protective ozone layer. 在 1970 年,我们发现了保护臭氧层 所面临的威胁。
identified:v.确认;认出;找到;发现;说明身份;(identify的过去式和过去分词) existential:adj.存在主义的;有关存在的;存在判断的; protective:adj.防护的;关切保护的;保护贸易的;
In the 1980s, scientists, politicians and industry came together in a solution to replace the chemicals causing the problem. 在 1980 年代,科学家, 政治家和工业界 通过合作找到了引发这个问题 的化学物品的替代解决方案。
solution:n.解决方案;溶液;溶解;解答; chemicals:n.化学制品;化学品;(chemical的复数)
They achieved this with the only legally binding environmental agreement signed by all countries in the world, the Montreal Protocol . 他们通过世界各国签署 的唯一具有法律约束力 的环境协定实现了这一目标, 《蒙特利尔议定书》。
binding:v.结合; n.(书籍的)封皮; adj.必须遵守的; (bind的现在分词) Montreal:n.蒙特利尔(加拿大东南部港市); Protocol:n.协议;草案;礼仪;vt.拟定;vi.拟定;
Still in force today, it has resulted in a recovery of the ozone layer and is the most successful environmental protection effort in human history. 该协议今天仍然有效, 它已经让臭氧层得到恢复, 并且它是人类历史上最成功的 环境保护努力。
recovery:n.恢复,复原;痊愈;重获;
We have a far greater threat now, but we do have the ability to develop and agree on solutions to protect people and restore our climate to health. 我们现在面临着更大的威胁, 但我们有能力去开发和通过 保护人们和恢复 我们气候健康的解决方案。
restore:v.恢复;修复;恢复(某种情况或感受);使复原;
This could mean that to remain safe, we reflect sunlight for a few decades, while we green our industries and remove CO2. 这可能意味着要保持安全, 我们要反射阳光几十年, 同时净化我们的工业 和消除二氧化碳。
It definitely means we must work now to understand our options for this kind of emergency medicine. 这无疑意味着, 我们必须从现在开始着手, 了解我们对这种紧急医疗的选择。
Thank you, 谢谢。
(Applause) （鼓掌）