12.18减少温室气体污染
Section outline
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What can the polar bear do?
::北极熊能做什么?Polar bears evolved to hunt from ice. As arctic ice melts, polar bears are having a harder time finding food. Polar bears can adapt to finding food in other locations, like garbage dumps. But they can't do anything about reducing . Humans create greenhouse gas emissions, and so humans can reduce those emissions. It's not too soon to get started.
::北极熊进化成从冰中捕猎的北极熊。随着北极冰融化,北极熊寻找食物的难度更大。北极熊可以适应在其他地方寻找食物,比如垃圾场。但他们不能做任何关于减少温室气体排放的事情。人类可以创造温室气体的排放,因此人类可以减少这些排放。开始的时机还不算太早。Climate Regulations
::气候条例The Clean Air Act of 1970 was crucial for in the United States. The Clean Water Act of 1970 did the same for reducing . The Montreal Protocol was even more important in some ways. This treaty was the first time many countries came together to solve a problem. They created a good plan for reducing substances that destroy the ozone layer .
::1970年的《清洁空气法》对美国来说至关重要,1970年的《清洁水法》对减少污染也起到了同样的作用。 《蒙特利尔议定书》在某些方面甚至更为重要。 该条约是许多国家第一次聚集在一起解决问题,它们为减少破坏臭氧层的物质制定了良好的计划。A treaty similar to the Montreal Protocol is needed for regulating greenhouse gases. The Kyoto Protocol was passed in 1997. The Protocol focused on controlling greenhouse gas emissions. Many nations signed the protocol, but not all. The United States, which at the time was the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, did not. The U.S. is currently the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China. Other treaties have been worked on but there has not been much progress. There are many people, organizations and nations that think that this is too vague and too slow.
::《京都议定书》于1997年通过,《议定书》的重点是控制温室气体排放,许多国家签署了议定书,但并非所有国家都签署了。当时最大的温室气体排放国美国没有签署。美国是目前仅次于中国的第二大温室气体排放国。其他条约已经制定,但没有取得很大进展。有许多人、组织和国家认为这太模糊和太慢。A stricter agreement must be reached very soon. By doing nothing we are doing something—continuing to raise greenhouse gas levels and failing to prepare for the coming environmental changes. Efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions are mired in politics. Meanwhile, crucial time is being lost.
::我们必须尽快达成更加严格的协议。 我们无所作为 — — 继续提高温室气体水平,未能为即将到来的环境变化做好准备。 限制温室气体排放的努力陷入了政治的泥潭。 与此同时,关键时间正在失去。Ways to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions
::减少二氧化碳排放的方法There are several possible ways to encourage organizations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They include cap-and-trade systems, carbon taxes, and carbon sequestration .
::有几种可能的办法来鼓励各组织减少二氧化碳排放量,其中包括上限和交易制度、碳税和碳固存。- In a cap-and-trade system , each nation is given a cap on carbon dioxide emissions. This is the most carbon dioxide the country is allowed to emit. Sometimes a nation may need to go over its cap. In that case, it can trade with another nation that is below its cap. Below, you can see how this works ( Figure ).
::在一个上限和交易体系中,每个国家都有二氧化碳排放的上限。 这是该国允许排放的二氧化碳最多的地方。 有时,一个国家可能需要超过上限。 在这种情况下,它可以与另一个低于上限的国家进行交易。 下面,你可以看到这个模式是如何运作的(图 ) 。
- Carbon taxes are taxes placed on products that produce carbon dioxide. An example of this is gasoline for your car. The taxes encourage people to use less fossil fuel . This naturally reduces carbon dioxide emissions.
::碳税是指对产生二氧化碳的产品征收的税。一个例子就是汽车汽油。税收鼓励人们减少化石燃料的使用。这自然会减少二氧化碳的排放量。
- Carbon sequestration captures carbon dioxide as it is emitted by a power plant before it enters the atmosphere . The carbon dioxide is then stored in another form. Carbon is sequestered naturally by forests. Trees take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis . Artificial methods of sequestering carbon underground are being researched. This is just one of the geoengineering methods that are being researched for reducing carbon dioxide.
::碳固存吸收二氧化碳,因为二氧化碳是发电厂在进入大气层之前排放的。二氧化碳随后以另一种形式储存。碳自然被森林隔离。树木吸收二氧化碳作为光合作用。正在研究地下碳固碳的人工方法。这只是为减少二氧化碳而研究的地球工程方法之一。
This diagram shows how a cap-and-trade system works.
::这个图表显示了上限和交易制度是如何运作的。New technologies can be developed. Renewable energy sources emit fewer or no greenhouse gases. These sources are discussed in the chapter Natural Resources .
::可再生能源排放的温室气体较少或没有,这些来源在《自然资源》一章中讨论。What You Can Do
::你能做什么,你能够做什么Reducing the amount that temperatures will rise will take all nations working together. But individuals can make a difference. What can you do? Many of the same things that you do to reduce air pollution.
::降低气温升高的幅度需要所有国家共同努力。但个人可以有所作为。你能做些什么?很多与减少空气污染相同的事情。- Walk, ride a bike, or take a bus.
::走路,骑自行车,或者坐公交车
- Turn electrical appliances off.
::关掉电器
- Reduce consumption of products and packaging.
::减少产品和包装的消费。
- Unplug cell phones and other chargers when not in use.
::未使用时拔出手机和其他充电器。
- Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.
::使用紧凑型荧光灯灯泡。
- Use directed lighting.
::使用定向照明。
- Be aware: take shorter showers, do not use more boiling water than needed, etc.
::请注意:淋浴时间较短,不使用比需要的更热的水,等等。
- BE INVOLVED! Learn more about climate change. Talk with people about the problem and what they can do. Write letters to the editor or to politicians. It's your world and your future.
::融入其中! 学习更多有关气候变化的知识。 与人们讨论问题和他们能做些什么。 写信给编辑或政治家。 这是你的世界和将来。
Summary
::摘要- A cap-and-trade system gives nations a cap on the greenhouse gas emissions. Those that have a higher cap than they need can trade with a nation that needs more.
::上限和交易体系为各国规定了温室气体排放上限。 那些上限高于其需要的国家可以与一个需要更多国家进行贸易。
- A carbon tax taxes carbon emissions to encourage conservation.
::碳税征收碳排放税,以鼓励养护。
- Carbon capture and sequestration is a geoengineering solution. This method removes excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it.
::碳捕获和固碳是一种地球工程解决方案,这种方法从大气中清除并储存多余的二氧化碳。
Review
::回顾- Why is a treaty between nations needed so that we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Why is there a problem getting a treaty that will work?
::为什么国家间条约需要这样我们才能减少温室气体排放? 为什么条约能否奏效?
- How does a cap-and-trade system work? Could it work for cities or businesses in the same way it does for nations?
::上限和交易制度如何运作?它能否像为各国工作一样为城市或企业服务?
- What is carbon sequestration? Does it prevent carbon dioxide from being emitted? Does it keep carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere?
::什么是碳固存?它能防止二氧化碳排放吗?它能防止二氧化碳进入大气层吗?
Explore More
::探索更多Use the resource below to answer the questions that follow.
::利用以下资源回答以下问题。- What is the purpose of carbon sequestration?
::碳固存的目的何在?
- What are the three pillars of the Global Climate Change Initiative?
::《全球气候变化倡议》的三大支柱是什么?
- What is CCS?
::什么是CCS?
- What is CCS being used for today?
::今天使用什么CCS?
- How is CCS done?
::CCS是如何完成的?
- What type of stone is carbon dioxide pumped into? Why?
::哪些类型的二氧化碳被注入其中?为什么?
- Why are cap rocks important? How do scientists know cap rocks work?
::为什么盖子岩石很重要?科学家怎么知道盖子岩石有用?
- In a cap-and-trade system , each nation is given a cap on carbon dioxide emissions. This is the most carbon dioxide the country is allowed to emit. Sometimes a nation may need to go over its cap. In that case, it can trade with another nation that is below its cap. Below, you can see how this works ( Figure ).
