3 Ways to Make Flying More Climate-Friendly | Ryah Whalen | TED

譯者: Alexandra Peng 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

I have a confession to make.

我要懺悔

I feel bad about flying.

我覺得搭飛機很糟

And I know I'm not the only one here.

我知道在場也有人和我一樣

I love to travel, but I know it's hurting our environment.

我熱愛旅行 但我知道很傷害環境

When I was six years old, I moved to Taiwan.

我6歲時搬到臺灣

My family, we boarded a regional jet in Iowa,

我和家人在愛荷華州 搭乘區域型噴射機

and 30 hours later we stepped off a 747 in Taiwan.

30個小時後 坐波音747抵達臺灣

Airplanes had taken us halfway across the globe.

飛機讓我們跨越半個地球

And I felt the wonder of a new world.

讓我感受到新世界

Air travel,

空中旅行

it builds bridges and it connects us.

讓世界各地的人互相聯結

It takes families and people to new lives and new experiences.

讓每個人和家庭 有新的生活體驗

But it also comes with a cost.

但伴隨的代價

A cost to our climate.

是氣候

When I first started focusing on the aviation sector,

我首次開始關注航空業時

I quickly learned that aviation accounts for

我很快就知道航空業

about two percent of global CO2 emissions.

佔全球二氧化碳排放量的2%

And while that number may seem small,

數字看起來或許很少

it could grow to 20 percent by 2050 if no action is taken.

但若未採取行動 2050年可能會升至20%

And for those of us that do fly regularly,

對於經常搭飛機的人來說

it can be the biggest component of our individual carbon footprint.

這是個人碳足跡中最大的一部份

That trip I took when I was six,

6歲那年的那趟旅程

if I were to make the same trip today,

若現在重來一次

I would have to be vegetarian for nearly four years

我必須吃素將近四年

to make up for the carbon and other emissions from that trip.

以補償旅程所排放的碳和廢氣

And so that's why I'm conflicted.

這就是我懺悔的原因

And it's also why I'm working with the aviation sector

也是我與航空業一起工作的原因

to figure out how to decarbonize as soon as possible.

以找出儘早減碳的方法

The next thing I learned is this:

接下來我學到的是

decarbonizing aviation, it's no easy task.

沒這麼容易就讓航空業減碳

Traditional jet fuel is so very good at its job.

傳統航空燃油非常好用

It’s cheap, and it’s energy-dense.

便宜而且能量密集

And because of that engines, airplanes, airports,

因為這點 引擎、飛機、機場

fuel supply chains and regulations,

燃料供應鏈及法規

they are all built on flying planes from point A to point B

全建立於從A到B點 使用航空燃油的航班

that run on jet fuel.

And those planes that run on jet fuel,

那些飛機都使用航空燃油

they're operated for 20 to 30 years on average

飛機在退役前 平均會飛行20至30年

before they're retired.

That means a plane that's ordered today will be flying until around 2050.

這代表現在預訂的飛機 將會使用至2050年左右

So we can't get there on engines and airplanes alone.

我們無法單靠引擎和飛機到達目標

If we want any hope of reaching our goal of zero emissions,

如果我們有任何一絲想法

想達到零排放的目標

we need to find the mix of solutions now.

現在必須找出解決方法

There's three broad buckets that we need to address.

有三個廣泛的問題要解決

The first is how we design and fly planes.

第一是如何設計與開飛機

The second are the fuels that we use, namely biofuels, to power those planes.

第二是我們使用的燃料

即提供飛機動力的生物燃料

And the third is new and emerging technology

第三則是新興科技

that can entirely change the game.

能完全翻轉局面

Let's start with how we design planes.

先從如何設計飛機開始

Well, the basic design of a plane doesn't change much

飛機的基本設計

from one generation to the next.

在世代更替中並沒有太多改變

Improvements in aerodynamics, reductions in cabin weight

改善空氣動力學 減輕客艙的重量

and even improved engine efficiency

甚至是提升引擎效能

means that each generation of aircraft

代表每個世代的飛機

is about 20 percent more fuel-efficient than the last.

比過去省了20%的燃料

Now, that's great.

這很棒

But turnover is slow, and so there's more we can do.

但周轉緩慢 我們能做更多的事

We can also fly planes differently.

我們能用不同的方式開飛機

Flying planes differently means changes to airport management,

這是指改變機場經營方式

to air traffic control, even individual pilot behavior.

從航空交通管制 到飛行員個人行為

If a plane sits on the runway for less time before takeoff,

飛機起飛前 在跑道上待越短的時間

we can reduce emissions.

就能減少碳排放

If a plane takes a more direct route instead of flying around national borders,

班機有更多直飛路徑 而不是經過各國邊界

we reduce emissions.

就能減少碳排放

And if individual pilots don't gun it at takeoff,

飛行員在起飛時不加速引擎

we can also reduce emissions.

也能減少碳排放

Now, these changes, they may sound easy, but they're not.

聽起來或許很簡單，但並不是

We all know that individual behavior change,

我們知道個人行為的改變

it doesn't always stick.

並不長久

And changes to airports and air traffic management,

改變機場營運 和航空交通經營

that's a really long march.

要花很長的時間

My team estimates that if we were to really prioritize

我的團隊估計 若我們優先考慮

designing and flying planes differently,

以不同的方式設計和駕駛飛機

we could reduce 2050 carbon dioxide emissions by 30 to 40 percent.

2050年的碳排放

能減少30%至40%

We need to do this.

我們必須這麼做

But we need more.

但還要做更多

We also need biofuels.

我們也需要生物燃料

And for biofuels or bio-based, sustainable aviation fuel,

為了生物燃料或是

以生物為基礎的永續航空燃料

you need funding and you need feedstock.

會需要資金和原料

Let's start with feedstock.

讓我們從原料談起

Biofuels are based on biological sources, like grains and oil seeds,

生物燃料源於生物資源

像是穀物或種子的油

forestry residue, used cooking oil, even municipal solid waste.

林業殘留物、用過的烹調油

甚至是城市的生活垃圾

You can take trash and convert it to fuel

你可以用有意義的方式

in a way that meaningfully reduces emissions.

將垃圾轉化為燃料，減少碳排放

But there's a catch.

但有個問題

There's only so much forestry residue.

林業殘留物有限

And there's only so much land that can or should be converted

而且沒這麼多土地 可以或應該被轉換

to grow crops for fuel

用來種植作物作燃料

without impacting global food supply chains.

且不影響到全球食物供應鏈

And then there's funding. Biofuels are expensive.

還有資金的問題 生物燃料非常昂貴

They're more expensive than traditional jet fuel

比傳統航空燃油還貴

and could raise ticket prices to consumers by 10 to 20 percent.

這會反應在票價上 可能會上漲約10至20%

And we need a massive initial investment

初步需要大筆的投資

to build the production facilities to meaningfully supply the sector.

建造生產設備 有意義地供應各部門

It's a classic chicken and egg problem

這是典型的雞與蛋的問題

because prices are high, there’s no demand.

價格上漲，則沒有需求

And because there’s no demand, there’s no supply.

沒有需求，即沒有供應

And because there's no supply,

而因為沒有供應

prices aren't coming down and so there's no demand.

價格不會下降，就沒有需求

And on and on and on.

這會不斷輪迴

Thankfully, we are finally starting to break the cycle.

但謝天謝地 我們終於開始打破循環

The European Commission recently proposed an alternative fuels mandate

近期歐盟委員會 提出一種替代燃料令

of 5 percent by 2030 and 20 percent by 2035.

2030年到達5% 2035年到達20%

And there's even pressure to accelerate that.

甚至施壓於促進這件事

A far cry from the .01 percent of biofuel usage

生物燃料0.01%的使用率

that we were at in 2018.

與2018年時相去甚遠

My team estimates that if we were to really focus on biofuels,

我的團隊估計 若真的專注於生物燃料

we could further reduce 2050 CO2 emissions by 10 to 30 percent.

能將2050年的碳排放

進一步減少10%到30%

That leaves us with a gap of 30 percent. That’s not good enough.

目前仍有30%的差距 還不夠好

It doesn’t get us to our goals,

現在的做法沒辦法達成目標

and it certainly doesn't absolve me of my guilt

當然在我考慮搭飛機時

when I consider getting on a plane.

無法除去我的罪惡感

The third bucket of things we need

我們需要的第三件事

lies in breakthrough, innovation and invention.

在於突破、創新及發明

You have synthetic fuel,

我們有合成燃料

which, like biofuels, works with existing engine technology and airplane design.

就像生物燃料

對現存引擎技術和飛機設計很有用

Synthetic fuels or e-kerosene actually take carbon dioxide from the air,

合成燃料或電子煤油

確實會從空氣中吸收二氧化碳

combine it with hydrogen that's cleanly separated from water

與氫結合 與水完全分離以生成燃料

to produce fuel.

The science is amazing.

科學很厲害

But it's really early days, it's small-batch and it's expensive.

但現在仍太早了

這技術既小眾又昂貴

And then you have hybrid electric and electric aircraft:

混合動力及電動飛機

small planes that run on batteries.

是使用電池的小型飛機

By 2050, these planes could fly for short distances.

2050年以前 這些飛機能飛短程距離

And then there's hydrogen. Green hydrogen.

這些是環保的氫氣

There's hydrogen fuel cells, batteries that run on hydrogen,

這些氫燃料的元件都靠氫運行

or hydrogen-combustion engines, engines that use hydrogen as fuel.

或燃燒氫作為燃料的引擎

These also show promise, and we need to continue to invest in them.

這在未來是有希望的

我們要持續投資這項技術

These new fuels pair really well with new aircraft design,

這些興新燃料 與新飛機設計非常搭配

like the blended wing body where there's no clear dividing line

就像翼身融合

在機身與機翼中間

between the main body and the wings of the aircraft.

沒有明顯的分界線

These planes could be at least 20 percent more fuel-efficient

這種飛機與傳統的相比

than traditional aircraft.

至少能省20%的燃料

And they create the opportunity to rethink where fuel is stored

這創造了重新思考

燃料儲存位置的機會

so we can use new energy sources, like hydrogen.

我們能用新的能量資源，比如氫

Now, some of these innovations, they'll work, and some may not.

如今，這些創新有些很成功

有些則否

We may need to rely on high quality removals

我們可能得仰賴高品質的輸出

like carbon capture and storage.

像是碳的收集與保存

What is clear is that if we want any hope of getting to zero emissions,

這是很清楚的 若有一絲想要到達零排放的希望

we will need some of these and potentially other technologies.

將需要其中的幾件事

和其他有潛力的科技

There are challenges: ensuring the safety of these technologies,

這些事具挑戰性 確保這些技術的安全

investing billions and billions of dollars

投資巨額資金

to build the production facilities and supply chains

為生物燃料及混合燃料

for biofuels and synthetic fuels.

建造生產設備和供應鏈

And making sure that each and every country does its part.

並確保每個國家都盡其所能

If it sounds hard, that's because it is hard,

如果聽起來很難 倒是真的

but it's not impossible.

但不是不可能

I think we can get it done.

我想我們能完成

The hard work, it's already starting.

這項艱難的工作早已起步

The sector is innovating and investing and collaborating,

這部分是創新、投資和合作

and that hard work, it needs to continue.

這項困難的作業需要持續

And it needs to intensify.

而且還要加強

And while that hard work happens, I'll remain conflicted.

當這項困難工作發生時 我會很矛盾

I want to travel.

我想要四處旅遊

I want to see friends and family and colleagues.

我想和朋友、家人、同事相聚

And so there's a few things I do.

所以我做了幾項小事

I ask myself: Do I really need to make that trip?

問自己，真的需要這趟旅程嗎？

I work with my company to advocate for biofuels,

我和公司一起提倡使用生物燃料

to try to break that chicken and egg cycle.

試著打破雞與蛋的循環

And I try to fly on the most climate-friendly

我嘗試搭乘對氣候最友善

and fuel-efficient airlines.

也最省油的航班

We all know that individual choices can drive collective action.

我們知道個人選擇能影響團體行動

This sector, like many others,

這個情境和其他多數相同

is one where the entire industry has to work together

如果我們想達成目標

if we want to reach our goal.

整個產業必須要攜手合作

Thank you.

感謝

(Applause)

(掌聲)