We learned to extract it, burn it for energy and release it into the air.

我們學會了提取它、燃燒它獲取能量並將其釋放到空氣中。

And about 100 and 50 years ago, we rebuilt our entire civilization around that energy source.

大約 100 年和 50 年前，我們圍繞著這種能源重建了整個文明。

We burn it to travel, we burn it to eat, we burn it to live fossil fuels.

我們燃燒化石燃料來旅行，我們燃燒化石燃料來吃飯，我們燃燒化石燃料來生活。

Brought about one of the greatest increases in standard of living in human history.

帶來了人類歷史上最大幅度的生活水準提高。

We could never go back.

我們再也回不去了。

But by burning this incredible fuel source, we are also inexorably heating.

但是，通過燃燒這種不可思議的燃料來源，我們也在不可避免地加熱。

The earth 2015 was the hottest year since we started keeping records in 1880.

地球 2015 年是自 1880 年有記錄以來最熱的一年。

And thanks to rising ocean temperatures, average sea levels have already risen about eight inches and we're in for a lot worse.

由於海洋溫度的上升，平均海平面已經上升了大約 8 英寸，我們的情況會更糟。

This is Dale Jamison.

我是戴爾-傑米森

He's a professor of environmental studies at NYU Wayne.

他是紐約大學韋恩分校的環境研究教授。

We've already done so much damage to the atmosphere that we'll be lucky if we can hold the warming to two °C, two degrees.

我們已經對大氣層造成了巨大的破壞，如果我們能將升溫控制在兩攝氏度以內，那就太幸運了。

That's just the difference between a jacket and a slightly lighter jacket.

這只是一件夾克和一件稍輕的夾克之間的區別。

Not to the earth.

而不是地球。

It isn't just two degrees of warming could cause huge droughts, massive wildfires.

不僅僅是兩度的升溫會導致巨大的乾旱和野火。

The loss of many species, the collapse of our agricultural productivity and the rising sea levels could make our coastal cities uninhabitable.

許多物種的消失、農業生產力的崩潰以及海平面的上升，都可能使我們的沿海城市無法居住。

And remember, two degrees of warming is the best we can realistically hope for.

請記住，升溫兩度是我們現實中所能期望的最好結果。

The question.

問題是

Isn't, will warming happen?

不是嗎？

The question is, how bad will it be?

問題是，情況會有多糟糕？

That's terrible.

太可怕了

Isn't there something I can do?

我能做些什麼嗎？

The sad truth is that we've already put so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that we're more than halfway towards that two °C limit.

可悲的事實是，我們已經在大氣中排放了大量的二氧化碳，距離兩攝氏度的極限已經過半。

And right now companies and countries already own enough fossil fuel and reserves to meet that limit five times over five times over to keep it in the ground.

而現在，公司和國家已經擁有足夠的化石燃料和儲量，可以五倍五倍地滿足這一限制，使其留在地下。

They'd have to give up trillions of dollars and we'd have to change our entire way of life.

他們必須放棄數萬億美元，我們必須改變我們的整個生活方式。

And what happens if we burn it?

如果我們把它燒了會怎麼樣？

What happens to our planet?

我們的星球會發生什麼？

Then I don't know, but it won't be our planet anymore.

那我就不知道了，但它將不再是我們的星球。