Humanity's planet-shaping powers -- and what they mean for the future | Achim Steiner

Transcriber:

譯者: 麗玲 辛 審譯者: Helen Chang

I work at the United Nations.

And for the past couple of years,

I have served as the head of the UN's Development Programme.

我在聯合國工作，過去幾年一直擔任 聯合國開發計劃署的負責人。

When I first walked into the UN headquarters

in New York City, many years ago,

多年前，我第一次走進 位於紐約的聯合國總部，

the first thing I noticed was a sculpture standing outside

under the flags of the nations of the world.

我首先注意到的是座戶外雕塑，

It's called the Knotted Gun.

矗立於世界各國旗幟下。

And it still stands there today.

這座雕塑名為「打結手槍」，

To me, that sculpture symbolizes

今天它仍然矗立在那裡。

exactly what the UN was created to do 75 years ago:

對我而言，這座雕塑象徵著

to build peace out of the ashes of war.

聯合國在 75 年前創建的目標：

War that had been defined for so much of human history

在戰爭的廢墟上建立和平。

as the struggle of nations against nations

在人類歷史上，戰爭大多時候 被定義為國與國間的鬥爭，

or the kind still raging in countries like Syria and Yemen

that the United Nations works to end every day.

或是像在敘利亞及葉門等國家 持續進行的內戰，

That's what I imagined that knotted gun to represent.

聯合國每天都在努力想結束這些戰爭。

But now, another kind of war is brewing.

這就是我想像中 那把打結的手槍代表的意涵。

但現在，另一種戰爭正在醞釀。

One that increasingly defines the 21st century

where the dominant risk to our own survival is ourselves.

這種戰爭型態愈來愈成為 21 世紀的特徵，

當今人類生存面臨的 最大風險就是人類自身。

A few years or even months ago,

if I had suggested that we’re all at war with ourselves,

幾年前，甚至是幾個月前，

it may have felt strange, especially when,

如果我說全人類正在跟自身交戰，

according to so many metrics,

有人可能會覺得相當奇怪，

humans are on average, healthier,

尤其眾多指標都顯示，

wealthier, and more educated than at any time in history.

平均而言，現在的人類 比歷史上任一刻

We have more knowledge, more science,

都來得更健康、更富裕、更有知識。

more choices today

現今，我們更加博學、 科學更進步、選擇更多樣，

than the founders of the United Nations could have ever imagined.

超乎聯合國創始人所能想像。

But somewhere along the way,

we lost our balance.

但一路走來，在某個時間點， 我們失去了平衡。

In fact, think about this.

Scientists are considering

whether for the very first time in human history,

其實，仔細一想，

instead of the planet shaping humans,

科學家們正思索是否 此刻是人類史上首次，

humans are knowingly shaping the planet.

不再是地球環境塑造人類，

It's called the Anthropocene

而人類有意識地改造地球。

and it represents a new geological era.

這被稱為「人類世」，

Today, humans literally have the power to alter the atmosphere

代表一個全新的地質年代。

and the biosphere in which we live.

如今，人類確實有能力

The power to destroy and the power to repair.

改變大氣圈及我們居住的生物圈。

No species has ever had that kind of power before.

有能力毀滅，有能力修復。

從來沒有物種有過這般能力。

With it, we humans have achieved incredible things together

from closing a giant hole in the ozone layer,

憑藉這些能力，人類達成了 各種難以置信的成就，

to preventing nuclear proliferation,

從修復臭氧層的巨大破洞，

to eradicating smallpox.

防止核擴散，到根除天花。

But we have also taken the Earth and all the people on it to the brink.

但我們也讓地球 和所有人類瀕臨絕境。

It's not rational nor fair what we are doing.

Today, one third of all the food produced on the planet

我們做的事既不合理也不公平。

goes to waste.

現今地球上生產的所有食物中 有三分之一被浪費，

While one in 10 people go hungry.

Inequality has become extreme.

可是十分之一的人在挨餓。

Twenty-six people own the same wealth as half of humanity,

不平等的現象變得極端。

最近的數據顯示，二十六個人擁有 相當於全人類一半的財富。

based on recent data.

Today, seven million people die from air pollution each year,

while about 7 million trees,

每年有七百萬人死於空氣汙染，

the very things that keep our air clean,

但每隔幾小時就有 大約七百萬棵樹被砍伐，

are cut down every few hours.

We spend over 10 times more on fossil fuel subsidies alone

而樹木正可以讓空氣保持乾淨。

than we do on all the investments in renewable power,

單就我們在化石燃料補貼的支出， 就比再生能源的所有投資高十倍以上，

prolonging our carbon habit

like a drug running through the economy’s veins.

像毒品一樣滲透到經濟的血管中， 延長我們的用碳習慣。

You don't have to be an economist like me

to know that these numbers just don't add up.

你不必跟我一樣是經濟學家，

That our economic paradigm is neither sustainable nor equitable.

也能明白這些數字根本就不合理。

我們的經濟模式既無法永續也不公平。

Climate change,

rupturing inequalities,

record numbers of people forced from their homes

氣候變遷，各種不平等湧現，

by conflict and crisis.

因為各種衝突與危機， 被迫離開家園的人數不斷創歷史新高。

For all of our power,

these are the weapons we have built.

儘管我們擁有巨大的力量，

Less tangible than a gun,

這些卻是我們打造出的武器。

but just as real, just as deadly.

不像槍枝那樣有形， 卻同樣真實、同樣致命。

Add an epic pandemic

and this year, for the first time in 20 years,

再加上全球漫長又艱難的疫情，

global extreme poverty is projected to rise,

今年預計是二十年來，

and global human development,

全球赤貧首度攀升，

a measure of the world's education, health and living standards,

而衡量世界教育、健康、生活水準的 全球人類發展指數

is set to decline for the first time

since the measure began 30 years ago.

估計會是發布三十年以來首次下滑。

COVID-19 has not changed the future yet,

but it has revealed these deep flaws in our present

新冠病毒尚未改變未來，

但已經揭示眼前深埋的弊病，

bringing clarity to the fact

that ending this war against ourselves is not about trade-offs.

使我們認清，要結束 這場與自己的戰爭，

It's not about choosing between people or trees,

並不是靠權衡取捨，

between poverty or progress.

不是在人類與樹木、 貧窮與進步之間選擇，

It's about choosing to do things differently.

而是要選擇用不同的方式行動。

In the midst of tragedy,

the pandemic has also given us a glimpse of what peace could look like,

在悲劇中，

疫情也讓我們一瞥和平可能的樣貌。

where we can see the snow cap of a mountain for the first time,

because the smog has cleared.

當霧霾四散而去， 人們初次看見覆蓋山頂的積雪。

That's what happened in Nairobi, my home of many years,

and one of the cities where air pollution plummeted

這發生在我居住多年的家鄉奈洛比，

as human activity slowed down.

也是隨著人類活動減少， 而空汙急遽下降的城市之一。

Where it takes 10 days and not 10 years

for our government to get support to those in need.

政府只花十天，而非十年，

That's what happened in Togo,

便為生活困難的人帶來援助。

which set up a digital system in record time to get cash to people

這就是多哥的情況，

他們以創紀錄的短時間 建立了數位系統，

unemployed or unable to work because of COVID-19 lockdowns.

發放紓困金給因新冠封城， 而失業或無法工作的人民。

The idea of a green economy that is fair and just,

where people and planet live in balance,

公平正義的綠色經濟，

is not new.

讓人類和地球和諧共生，

But this moment is.

並不是新穎的想法。

And if I have learned one thing

但現在卻是前所未有的一刻。

since starting out as a young economist years ago,

從一名年輕經濟學家開始， 多年來，有一件我學到的事，

whether I was working with Pattan elders

to improve the lives of farmers in Pakistan,

無論是與帕坦長老一起改善 巴基斯坦農民的生活，

or navigating the controversies of building colossal dams,

it's that systems don't change systems;

還是調解建造巨型水壩的爭議，

people change systems.

那就是制度不會改變制度 ;

And whether you're a prime minister,

a paramedic or a protestor on the street,

人們才會改變制度。

you can choose to change this one.

無論你是總理、護理人員 還是街頭的抗議者，

The people who are choosing to build forward better from COVID-19

你都可以選擇改變現狀。

build on growing momentum,

選擇從新冠肺炎疫情出發， 建設美好未來的人們

the momentum of people coming onto the streets in protest

正在借助不斷增長的動能，

from Beirut to Bogota,

人們走上街頭抗議，

Quito to Cairo, or New York to New Delhi

從貝魯特到波哥大、

against racism and discrimination,

基多到開羅，或紐約到新德里，

climate change,

the price of petrol or the cost of a train ticket,

反對種族主義和歧視、氣候變化 ,

all united in a deep and rising frustration

石油價格或火車票價，

對這場持續自毀的戰爭， 所有人一致感受到

with this war we have been waging against ourselves.

深刻而日益俱增的挫敗感。

This moment builds on the choices of leaders I met,

as I traveled with the United Nations before lockdown.

這一刻建立在我會面的 領導人的選擇上，

那時在封鎖前， 我隨著聯合國一起旅行。

Leaders who choose to do things differently.

Costa Rica made a choice to abolish its army

這些領導者選擇以不同方式做事。

and redirect military spending to education, health

哥斯達黎加選擇廢除軍隊，

and the environment.

將軍事開支轉而投資 教育、健康和環境。

Today, they pay people to protect the trees.

And as a result,

forests have regenerated and now cover over half of the country.

如今，他們花錢請人保護樹木。

結果，

森林重新生長，如今覆蓋了 該國的一半面積。

Or consider Denmark.

It has chosen to produce all of its electricity

再看看丹麥。

from renewable sources by 2050,

它決定在 2050 年前， 以可再生能源生產所有電力，

and has already passed the halfway mark.

One of many countries moving in this direction.

目前已經達成一半目標。

Thirty years ago,

它是朝著這個方向前進的 眾多國家之一。

powering our economy with renewable energy was science fiction.

三十年前，

用可再生能源為經濟 提供動力是科幻情節。

Ten years ago,

it was considered too expensive.

Today, renewable energy costs less

十年前，可再生能源 被認為太昂貴。

and creates more jobs than fossil fuels in many parts of the world,

如今，在世界許多地方， 與化石燃料相比，

可再生能源的成本更低， 創造的就業機會更多，

and offers the potential to put power,

quite literally, back with the people.

並提供了機會， 讓電力真正為人們所用。

I saw this in Kenya.

Two youth football teams playing their final match

我在肯尼亞見証這個情況。

in the Mathare settlement at night,

兩支青年足球隊在馬塔雷居住區 晚上進行最後一場比賽，

who kept the game going,

thanks to solar-powered LED lights.

因為有太陽能 LED 燈， 比賽得以進行。

I saw this change, these better choices,

with His Majesty the king of Bhutan

我看到了這種變化，這些更好的選擇。

just turned 40 years old,

who chooses to measure progress based on gross national happiness,

不丹國王陛下剛滿 40 歲，

他選擇根據國民幸福總值 而不是國內生產總值來衡量進步。

not gross domestic product.

And I saw it on a rooftop

in Khartoum with the young people who led the revolution in Sudan in 2019.

2019 年在喀土穆的屋頂上，

我和領導蘇丹革命的年輕人 一同看到改變。

Young women and men

who came out onto the streets with everything to lose,

青年男女走上街頭， 不怕失去所有，

who spoke up for political change with conviction and courage

他們以堅定的信念和勇氣 大聲疾呼政治變革，

and who ultimately changed the course of their country.

並最終改變了他們國家的進程。

These are the people,

the first generation of the Anthropocene who are writing the next chapter

這些人是人類世的第一代，

他們在這前所未有的時刻

for people and planet in this unprecedented moment.

為人類和地球譜寫新的篇章。

And with each choice they make,

with each choice we all make,

隨著他們做出的每一個選擇，

the future we want gets closer.

隨著我們所有人做出的每一個選擇，

Just like the Knotted Gun,

我們想要的未來越來越近。

there is another piece of art at the United Nations

從「打結手槍」，

that I think about.

我想到了聯合國的另一件藝術品。

A poem by a great Persian poet, Saadi.

The poem is embroidered on a giant carpet

偉大的波斯詩人薩迪的一首詩。

that hangs on the wall inside the UN building.

這首詩繡在掛在聯合國大樓內 牆上的一塊巨型掛毯上。

beneath which diplomats and staff from all nations

work together every day towards that future we want.

掛毯之下，來自各國的外交官和人員

每天都在為我們想要的未來 而共同努力。

Saadi wrote that all the people on the planet

are like different parts of the same body.

薩阿迪寫道，地球上的所有人

Different, but united as if limbs of each other.

像是同一軀體的不同部位。

不同，但連結在一起， 就像彼此的手足。

It was that idea that led the generation before us

to come together in the wake of war

75 年前，正是這個想法

to create the United Nations 75 years ago.

促使我們的前一代人在戰後 團結起來，創建了聯合國。

The idea that though we are different, we must choose to be united,

雖然不同、但必須團結的這個理念，

but now it's our turn.

Our challenge is to come together to preserve our collective self-interest

現在該我們來執行。

我們面臨的挑戰是團結起來， 維護我們集體的自身利益和人性，

and humanity

rather than tearing ourselves asunder.

People and planet in balance,

而不是讓人類四分五裂。

building lasting sustainable peace.

人與地球的平衡，

Thank you.

建設持久的永續和平。

謝謝。