At the recent COP21**** climate conference in Paris, 195 countries promised planet Earth

最近,巴黎舉辦 COP21 氣候會議,與會的 195 個國家向地球掛保證:

we'd stop messing with her. The press is calling it a huge win for environmentalists, world

不再騷擾地球; 據報導,環保人士、

cooperation, and for the health of our planet. President Obama said in a speech after the

全球企業、地球健康大獲全勝; 歐巴馬總統

deal was signed, this could be "the best chance we have to save the one planet we have." But

在會後表示:這可能是 “我們拯救地球的最好時機。” 不過

we just signed a piece of paper, we haven't done anything yet.

我們只是簽了個名,還沒開始行動哩

The UN has held a Climate Change "Conference of the Parties," every year since the mid-90s,

自 90 年代中期,聯合國每年都召開氣候變化《締約方會議》

but more often the narrative is about their shortcomings rather than successes. The U.S.

可是大部分時候都落得失敗收場,美國

famously avoided the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and at the 2009 Copenhagen conference the

在 1997 年拒簽京都議定書,鬧得沸沸揚揚; 而 2009 年的哥本哈根會議上

rich European countries (who got rich by burning coal) told developing nations like China and

透過燒煤致富的歐洲國家要求開發中國家,如中國和

India to agree to the same cuts they were imposing on themselves -- nah bro. There are

印度,實施和歐洲同等的減排制度…老兄,不是這樣的

a lot of examples of climate policy fails, but listing them all gets depressing. While

氣候政策失敗的例子太多了,全講出來就太傷感情了

we fight over language, climate change continues to ravage the planet. Knowing this, decisionmakers

我們試著打破國界溝通的同時,氣候災難也在各地肆虐。有鑑於此,各國

came to Paris with a different strategy!

來到巴黎 COP21 ,訂定全新的氣候方針!

Unlike conferences in the past, Paris' COP21 let each country set its own goals for limiting

不同以往,巴黎COP21改讓各國制定適合自己的

or slowing carbon emissions, fighting deforestation,

減碳目標,包括打擊森林砍伐

and identifying the adverse effects of climate change. In the last year, every country submitted

並自行鑑定災害是否導因於氣候變遷。去年,各國訂出

a set of goals, called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Though each

一系列目標,名為《國家自定預期貢獻》,簡稱 INDCs

are different, they're all based on keeping Earth under the dangerous 2C temperature increase

各國進度不一,但都要避免地球溫度上升超過危險的 2℃

agreed on at Cancun's COP in 2010. Now everyone has the same finish-line, and their own map

這是 2010 年在墨西哥坎昆立下的目標。現在,人人目標一致,

to get there, AND they've all signed the COP21 deal! We're on our way y'all!! Right? Maybe?

但走的路徑不同,更重要的是,所有人都簽了 COP21 !我們正在朝相同目標前進了!應該吧?!

So next, is each country shifts their wooden-cogged bureaucracies into gear toward a net-zero

接著,各國就要像齒輪組成零件一樣,把官僚手法轉換成

emissions goal. From now until 2018, when they meet next, they'll assess how to achieve the first steps laid

零碳目標。到2018年,也就是下次見面時,各國會評估巴黎協議中的

out in the Paris accords; then they'll showcase their kickstarted plans. According

第一步效果如何;屆時大家會展示自己的成果

to their INDCs: China is investing heavily in clean energy and will attempt to decrease

各國的INDCs: 中國投注重資來發展潔淨能源,並打算在

after 2030; the U.S. will reduce carbon emissions by 26 percent from levels measured in 2005;

2030後開始減排。美國將會依據2005年所測得的CO2值減排26%

the European Union will cut 40 percent, Brazil will cut 37 percent and curb deforestation

歐盟國打算減四成;巴西則打算減37%,並減少砍伐森林

to keep the Amazon carbon sink in tact -- trees suck up carbon! Yay! India (the third largest

如此才能讓亞馬遜區的CO2消失—因為樹能吸收二氧化碳嘛!印度是第三大

CO2 emitter) is planning to promote clean energy generation and consumption. And even

排放國,打算推動產生潔淨能源與消耗,包括

many Pacific Islands (some of which will be underwater before the 2100 target date) are

許多太平洋小島,有些預測會在2100年沉入海中,這些島國也都

submitting INDCs! The Paris agreement is exceedingly complex, but COP21 guarantees each nation

交出INDCs!巴黎協議非常複雜,但本次會議確保每一個國家

has their own, reachable, goals! The politicians involved are calling this a huge diplomatic

訂下自己可達成的目標;與會外交官則稱此次會議為外交上大

success; but is that the scientific reality? [[skeptical noise]].

成功;那麼科學上也大成功嗎? [懷疑…]

Vox put together a chart from Climate Action Tracker data, and found without COP21's plan

VOX利用氣候行動追蹤資料製成一張圖表,發現若我們不訂定COP21計劃

we'd hit a 3.8C increase by 2100. With the Paris pledges we'll still hit 2.7C! WAY over

地球將於2100年暖化3.8℃,有了COP21,則會上升2.7℃。比

the 2C upper limit! The agreement calls for deep reductions. And we need DEEP cuts, but

2℃上限要高太多了!協議呼籲進一步減排,而我們也真的需要多減一些

they will hurt. So, to help developed nations overachieve their goals, rich countries pledged

這很難達成,所以為了讓已開發國家更成功,這些富有國承諾

100 billion dollars per year in public and private investment by 2020 to will help the

在2020年前,每年會從公私營企業撥出1000億元來幫助

poorer countries get affordable clean energy and lessen their struggles to meet ambitious

窮國負擔潔淨能源,減輕負擔,儘速達成遠大的

climate goals.

氣候目標

Look, in the end, the Paris talks are revolutionary on one hand because nearly 200 countries recognized

一方面來說,巴黎峰會成功首開先例,有近200個國家

publicly that lowering carbon emissions to curb climate change is important! So what

承認減排及對抗氣候變遷是當務之急!那麼

happens now? The diplomats have to convince the governing bodies of their home nations

接下來,外交官必須說服國內政府

to follow the pledge. What we have to do now is as citizens, keep the pressure on our leaders.

落實承諾。而身為公民,我們必須對政府施壓

While the actual GOALS aren't legally punishable, they will HAVE to show up in public transparently,

雖然目前的協定並不真的具有法律效力,但各國元首必須現身公眾場合

and say WHY they didn't meet them every five years. In the end, most are seeing this as

說明“為什麼”沒有達成目標,每五年一次。大部分人視此規定

the first step of a long, hard road. But a road that will have our children and descendants

為漫漫長路的第一大步,但這條路會帶領我們的子孫

breathing easier. Of course, some countries won't be breathing

走向乾淨的未來。可惜有些國家已經無法享受乾淨的未來了

at all, because climate change will have already drowned some of them, overrunning their land

由於氣候變遷的影響,這些地方已經被淹沒了,整個陸地

with ocean. Check that video out here

被海水淹沒。請參考下方的影片