The average temperature on the surface of the planet has already increased 1.7 degrees

自1880年以來，地球表面的平均溫度上升了攝氏0.85度左右，

Fahrenheit since 1880, which may not seem like much, but think about it this way, the

看似幅度很小，但事實不然，試想：

heat from human emissions is roughly equal to 400,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs exploding

全球一天所排放出的熱能幾乎相當於40萬顆廣島原子彈爆炸的能量

across the planet every single day.

而且每天重複上演。

Future generations are in big trouble. But for now it will continue to get warmer and

未來的世代可遭殃了；地球逐漸暖化，

storms will grow more intense, with longer periods of drought in between.

風暴一次比一次更嚴重，中間伴隨著越來越長期的乾旱。

But longer-term, if emissions continue to rise unchecked, the climate disasters will

若我們放任碳排放繼續增加，長遠來說，氣候災難

be so severe they will destabilize entire nations, send millions of refugees across

將越來越嚴重，不僅造成整個國家瓦解，數以萬計的難民流離失所，

borders, cause widespread extinction of most species on Earth, and melt the polar ice caps,

也將導致物種滅絕、北極冰冠融化，

leaving most of the world’s coastal cities several feet underwater.

屆時全球沿岸低窪地區都將淹沒在水中。

All this could take centuries, but something like the sudden collapse of agriculture would

上述情景可能幾百年後才會發生，然而，暖化造成的糧食危機，

trigger immediate chaos in society.

則會在短時間內對人類社會造成負面影響。

Best case is we get our act together and begin to rapidly bring emission levels down; meanwhile,

理想的情況是：首先我們能協力合作迅速降低碳排放量，

Earth turns out to be less sensitive to greenhouse gases than we currently believe, plants and

其次，地球對溫室氣體的反應不如預期地嚴重，再來，植物和

animals adapt quickly, and major technological breakthroughs help society limit emissions

動物都能快速適應氣候改變，最後，幾項重大新科技突破也能有效減低碳排放

and adjust to climate change.

以幫助人類適應氣候變遷；

But, these are all the opposite of what we’re actually seeing, so the only thing in our

然而，理想與現況完全相反，目前，我們唯一能做的

control is to limit emissions using all available tools and best behaviors currently at our

就是用盡各種手法或工具竭盡全力減低

disposal.

排放量。

Worst case, the collapse of food production causes spiraling prices and -- as our capitalist

糟的是，作物產量銳減導致糧食價格飆升，完全打破資本家

utopia breaks down -- billions starve as our world gets violent and messy real quick--kind

的理想，引起世界各處混亂，充斥暴力，飢荒人口攀升至數十億，

of like a zombie apocalypse, but with extreme hunger spreading chaos instead. So, yeah,

簡直像殭屍大軍席捲全球，只是換成飢荒罷了；

still just like a zombie apocalypse. This would be coupled with the melting of the Antarctic

這場飢荒大災難會隨著南極冰蓋融化

ice sheet, leading to rapidly rising seas that would force us to abandon many of our

變得更嚴重，因為融冰將導致海平面上升，屆時將不得不棄用多座

greatest cities and all of the social and scientific progress that we were making within

大城市以及我們辛苦扶植的社會或科學發展成果，

them. Adding insult to injury is the fact that many of the emissions were emitted while

雪上加霜的是，這些會被淹沒的都會區在建造發展時

building these now abandoned, underwater metropolises.

正是排放大量二氧化碳的始作俑者；

If emissions continue unchecked, we’re looking at a total rise of between 80 to 160 feet,

如果再不控制碳排放，那麼海平面預計會上升24～49公尺，

which would occur if all the ice in the polls melted. So the oceans will rise, the real

因為極地冰層完全融化。這需要多久時間呢？

question is how fast? Scientists only have Earth’s history to base their predictions

科學家只能用過去的大氣數據來預測未來的氣候走向。

on, which suggests that the rate has occasionally hit 1 foot per decade...so we’ll have to

數據顯示過去平均每十年海平面上升30公分。

adapt to an altered coastline sooner or later, but probably much sooner than later. Because...

我們早晚都得面對海岸線後退的事實，也或許很快就會發生了，

Computer forecasts only give us a range of future possibilities, the most important evidence

雖然電腦無法準確地預測出一個數值，但是

comes from the study of past climate conditions which clearly show that every time the amount

從過去的氣候變遷數據可以推論出，每次

of carbon dioxide in the air rises, the Earth warms up, ice melts, and the ocean rises.

大氣中的二氧化碳含量上升，必定會引起地球暖化，冰層融化，海平面上升；

What’s important to remember here is that we are in uncharted territory--humans are

只是我們無從確定未來的變化，因為人類

pumping carbon dioxide into the air far faster than nature ever has before us.

排放二氧化碳的速度之快，是前所未見的。

Scientists have been publishing strong evidence that warming is making drought and heat waves

科學家指出，所有證據都指向暖化提高乾旱與熱浪的頻率、

more frequent, causing heavier rainstorms, and more severe coastal flooding. But while

造成嚴重的暴雨或導致濱海地區發生水災；

the Internet has made us all more aware of weather disasters in distant countries, it’s

透過網路媒體宣傳，越來越多人開始關注各國的天災，

hard to prove these are all directly made worse by climate change

雖然很難證明氣候變遷直接導致這些嚴重天災。

Canada and Russia both have vast, frozen lands, and could see some economic benefits from

加拿大及俄羅斯境內擁有大片永凍土，一旦氣候暖化，

a warmer climate. Putin and the Russians have been reluctant to make ambitious

其中的經濟利益極高，因此俄羅斯總統普丁及加國總理杜魯多皆遲遲不肯鬆口承諾

climate commitments. But expect that to change as these countries realize they will be swamped

改善現況，但現在兩國可能會改變主意，因為再不抑制氣候惡化，

by millions of refugees from less fortunate nations.

將有上百萬難民自貧窮國家湧入兩國境內。

Libertarians and other political conservatives do not like the policies proposed to fight

右派自由主義及保守派人士不贊成對抗氣候變遷的政策，

climate change and have chosen to try and block them by actively undermining the science.

因此常攻擊現有科學數據，抵制政策通過，

This effort has been funded by the oil and coal industry, who favor making money above

這些反對者多半由化石燃料企業贊助，這些企業為了賺取利潤

all else.

不擇手段。

As more resources are devoted to solving the problem, our chances at big technological

我們投入越來越多資源來改善氣候問題，也不斷改良科技、

breakthroughs are improving, but we still should be spending about three-times as much

克服許多重大障礙，但幾份分析詳盡的報告指出，我們應該

money as we currently are on these efforts according to several in-depth reports.

再投入至少三倍的資金才夠解決問題。

You can reduce your carbon footprint by doing things like plugging leaks in your home insulation,

減少碳足跡有幾個妙方：首先，把家中絕熱板上的漏洞都補起來，防止熱能外漏，

installing a smart thermostat, taking public transit, taking less airplane trips, buying

其次，裝上溫度自動調節裝置；再來，多搭乘大眾交通工具，少搭飛機旅行，

an electric car, and putting solar panels on your roof. A big one is eating less meat.

買車時購入電動車，接著，在家中屋頂裝上太陽能板；少吃肉也能大大減少碳足跡。

But what’s really needed is for you to speak up and exercise your rights as a citizen,

但最重要的是希望全民都能發聲，發揮公民權利，

because strong, collective action through state and national policies is how we’ll

眾人集結發表意見，才能促成國家通過法案，對解決氣候變遷

make the most impact.

發揮最大影響。

Considering that we’ve been ignoring scientists’ warnings since the 80’s to limit emissions,

自八零年代起，科學家就不斷提出警告，但卻只能眼睜睜看著碳排放量

we’re pretty late in the game. But we’ve finally reached a moment where nearly every

不減反增；現在，全球終於開始正視這項議題，幾乎

country in the world agrees this is a huge problem, and seem ready to commit to taking

世界各國都同意氣候變遷帶來的影響，並一致決定

at least some kind of action. Leading corporations will continue to make bold promises to do

該是採取行動的時候了。幾家龍頭企業答應會盡其所能

their part, low-emission technologies will improve, and many states and cities will go

參與改變，低排放量的科技也需要日益精進改良，而各大城市期望能超越

much further than any goals set by their national governments. The United States, the world’s

中央政府所設的目標。身為全世界最大經濟體，美國

biggest economy, is finally starting to move aggressively, and China, the world’s largest

終於決定大動作改變，而碳排放量第一的中國

emitter, is beginning to recognize that it needs to do the same, as many of its megacities

也體認到自己必須一同邁向減碳目標，否則境內好幾個巨型

cities will be underwater if the seas rise too high. But it’s up to us, the ordinary

都市未來將免不了受海平面上升影響。最後，所有公民

citizens, to continue demanding our political leaders tackle climate change, the hardest

必須挺身而出，才能發揮最大的影響力來敦促政府對抗氣候變遷，畢竟這是

problem that humanity has ever faced.

有史以來全人類所面臨最嚴重的問題。

So like and share this video to help it spread. A special thanks to Justin Gillis of the New

喜歡這部短片的話，請分享給好友。特別感謝《紐約時報》

York Times for putting together the original article, which is linked in the more info

的編輯—Justin Gillis幫忙彙整原文，更多資訊請詳見

section below.

下面的連結。

Until next time, thanks for watching TDC, I’m Bryce Plank.

謝謝收看TDC，我是Bryce Plank，我們下次再見。