Maldives, may be completely underwater. Additionally, in just 100 to 300 years, Venice could be

可能會完全淹沒在水下。此外，在僅僅 100 ~ 300 年之間，威尼斯可能會

completely submerged, along with major parts of Amsterdam, Miami and New Orleans. So what

完全下沉，連同阿姆斯特丹的大部分區域，甚至邁阿密和新奧爾良也無一倖免。

is the world doing about rising sea levels?

所以這個世界為海平面上升做了些什麼?

Well, unfortunately, not that much. In 2013, the world pumped out a record 35.3 Billion

很不幸地，這個世界並沒有為此做得那麼多。在 2013 年，全球的二氧化碳排放量創下新高，共排出 353 億噸

Tonnes of CO2. Since pre-industrial times, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has

的二氧化碳。自從工業化之前至今，大氣裡的CO2濃度提高了40%

risen by 40%. Most scientists agree that this is eroding the earth’s ozone layer, exposing

多數的科學家同意這件事正侵蝕著地球的臭氧層，使地球暴露於

it to harmful UV rays, and increasing insulatory gases. Overall the earth is getting hotter,

有害的紫外線下，並增加了溫室氣體。整個地球越來越熱，

the polar ice caps are melting, and international sea levels are rising.

極地的冰帽正在溶解，全球的海平面正在上升。

China, the United States and India are the world’s largest polluters. But for years

中國，美國和印度是世界上最大的汙染者，但是多年來

they have been reticent to cut back on their fossil fuel industries. What cutbacks they

他們的化石燃料工業數量遭限制。而這些國家曾同意的減量卻沒有執行，

HAVE agreed to have been unenforced, and often ignored. The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 established

甚至還被他們忽略。1997年的京都議定書對多數國家建立了

target emission reductions for major countries. Yet the United States refused to ratify it,

減少溫室氣體排放量的目標。不過美國(國會)拒絕批准這份條約，

and China and India were ultimately exempt from making emission cuts due to their “developing

而中國和印度最終也因為他們現在是「發展中的國家」而無需減少氣體排放量。

nation” status.

In recent years some slowly-sinking countries have taken legal action against major contributors

近幾年，有些正在緩慢下沉中的國家開始對一些造成全球暖化的主要國家採取法律行動

to global warming. In 2002, the island nation of Tuvalu threatened to bring charges against

在 2002 年，島國吐瓦魯揚言要

the US and Australia for their roles in climate change. In 2011, Palau announced that it would

對美國和澳洲在氣候變遷中扮演的角色提出控訴。在2011年，帛琉也基於相同的理由

also seek legal counsel from The International Court of Justice for similar reasons. Even

從國際法院尋求法律顧問

in the Netherlands, which is another nation at risk for flooding, some 900 people recently

甚至在荷蘭─另一個同樣在海水氾濫風險下的國家，最近有 900 人聯署

signed a petition to sue the Dutch government for pollution.

簽了一份訴狀要控告荷蘭政府的汙染行為。

But are lawsuits really going to work? Well, some islanders allege that other polluting

但這些控訴真的有效嗎？有些島民聲稱其它造成汙染的國家

nations are violating a legal precedent established by the United Nations, known as the “no

違反了聯合國建立的合法先例，即所謂的

harm rule”. This principle obligates a nation to prevent, reduce and control the risk of

「互不侵犯原則」。這個原則規範了一個國家必須要預防、減少和控制

environmental harm to other states. However, it’s proven difficult to sue countries for

可能對其他國家造成環境傷害的風險。然而，該原則顯然難以做為控訴一個國家造成氣候變遷的依據

climate change. Harm from rising sea levels is usually indirect, unintentional, and hard

海平面上升帶來的傷害往往是間接且無意間的，也很難

to pin on just a few nations.

只歸罪於幾個國家。

Still, some lawsuit threats have garnered lots of media attention and increased public awareness.

有些訴訟威脅贏得許多媒體的注意並增加了大眾的注意力

The next UN Conference on Climate Change is in late 2015. Global warming activists

下次的聯合國氣候變遷會議將辦在2015年底。熱衷於全球暖化的人們

are expected to be there in full force. A new, legally binding agreement between ALL

期待能在該會議上有全面的影響力。這個即將到來的會議，最終目標乃是討論出一個

nations is the ambitious goal for the upcoming convention. And until an agreement is reached,

適用於「所有」國家且有約束力的新決議。直到大家的共識建立之前

rising sea levels will be an unabated threat to many seafront communities.

海平面上升將會是許多濱海的國家不減的威脅

One element of the rising sea level problem, is the melting of our planet’s ice sheets.

海平面上升問題的其中一個因素，是地球冰床的溶解

To learn why these behemoths of ice are so crucial to our planet's ecosystems, check

如果想知道為何這些「龐然巨冰」會對我們地球的生態系統這麼重要

out this video from DNews. There’s a link to that video in the description below if

那就看看這部Dnews的影片吧。那部影片的連結在下方，手機也能連結到

you’re on your phone. Thanks for watching! And,don't forget for subscribe.

謝謝觀賞！別忘了訂閱哦