Why is the world warming up?

世界為什麼在暖化？

Let's think of Earth for just a moment as a greenhouse.

讓我們暫時想像一下地球是個溫室。

Every second, a huge amount of energy smashes into our greenhouse.

每一秒，大量熱量湧入這個溫室。

Our atmosphere, the glass roof and walls,

我們的大氣層，就像玻璃屋頂和牆壁，

reflects some of that energy,

會反射一部分的熱量，

but most of it passes right through and heats everything up.

但是大部分熱量會穿過大氣層， 讓所有東西開始加溫，

Much of that heat used to escape back into space,

其中的多數熱量會逸散回太空，

keeping us at a stable, warm temperature.

使地球環境維持穩定、溫暖。

But then something changed.

但是有些事情發生了變化，

Humans began to spew enough carbon dioxide to fill billions of greenhouses each day.

人類開始每天向大氣中排放 足以填滿無數溫室的二氧化碳。

What does all that greenhouse gas do?

這些溫室氣體會有什麼影響？

It makes the glass of our greenhouse thicker.

它導致我們溫室的玻璃變得更厚。

Thicker glass means heat escapes into space much more slowly.

更厚的玻璃意味著 熱量散發到太空的速度變慢。

And don't forget, energy from the sun

而且不要忘記，來自太陽的熱量

is still streaming in just as quickly as before.

以照常的速度持續湧入，

The result is a planet with temperatures too hot for our liking

導致氣溫熱到令人難以忍受，

and, eventually...

而最終，

living.

無法生存。

[Countdown

【倒數計時

Take action on climate change at Countdown.ted.com]

採取行動因應氣候變遷， 詳情請見 Countdown.ted.com】