Sustainable Cooling That Doesn’t Warm the Planet | Rachel Kyte | TED Countdown

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Yi-Ping Cho (Marssi)

This summer, I was visiting family in England.

今年夏天，我去英格蘭拜訪家人。

There was a heat wave.

那時正值熱浪來襲。

It was hot, and it was humid.

很熱，很潮濕。

There was very little breeze.

沒什麼風。

The temperature was hovering around 29 degrees centigrade

白天的溫度都在 29°C 左右，

for days on end,

持續了好幾天，

and the nights were not much better.

晚上也沒有好到哪去。

In our little bungalow,

在我們的小平房裡，

there was nowhere to get cool.

沒什麼地方是涼爽的。

We had one fan moving hot air around.

我們只有一個電風扇吹著熱風。

I was worried for my mom.

我有點擔心我媽。

Heat can send your heart rate all the way up.

熱空氣會讓你的心跳加速。

The only place to get cool,

唯一能避暑的地方，

the only relief,

唯一的解脫，

was at the supermarket in town,

就是去鎮上的超市，

standing in front of the chiller cabinets.

站在冷藏櫃前面。

In 2021, extreme heat has captured the headlines on every continent.

2021 年，極端高溫 都是各大洲的頭條新聞。

And globally in July,

七月份，

surface temperatures were the highest recorded since records began in 1880.

全球的地面溫度創下自 1880 年來 有紀錄後的歷史新高。

The problem is that the way we cool things down

問題出自我們降溫的方法，

is heating the planet even more.

反而讓地球更熱。

Today’s air-conditioning is energy inefficient,

現有的空調在能源運用上效率差，

depends on polluting refrigerants such as hydrofluorocarbons

依賴氫氟碳化物這種 會造成污染的冷媒，

and many traditional cooling technologies waste heat.

而且許多傳統冷卻科技會產生廢熱。

I’m sure you’ve had that experience

我想你們都有經驗，

of walking in an alley behind a convenience store

走在便利商店後面的小巷子，

and feeling that blast of hot air on your face

熱風從裡面呼呼吹的冷氣

coming from the chillers inside.

撲面而來。

And the demand for cooling is going up.

對冷卻的需求節節升高。

The International Energy Agency estimates that by 2050,

國際能源署估計到 2050 年，

today’s two billion air conditioners will have multiplied

今天的二十億台冷氣機會倍增

to more than 5.5 billion,

到超過五十五億。

and that by 2030,

到 2030 年，

electricity demand for cooling buildings could jump by 50 percent.

冷卻建築物的電力需求 可能躍升 50%。

And think about this:

你們想想：

most households in hot countries

很多熱帶國家的家庭

have not bought their first air conditioner yet.

還沒有買他們的第一台冷氣機呢！

I’ve worked on sustainable energy for many years in different ways;

多年來，我致力於 各式的永續能源發展；

on energy access in the Sahel,

譬如薩赫爾地區的能源獲取，

to cold chains in East Africa,

東非的冷鏈，

to financing large-scale energy infrastructure projects around the world

為世界各地的大規模 能源基礎設施計畫融資，

and to getting access to cooling in low-income communities

以及為英國及美國兩地

in the UK and the US.

低收入社區爭取臨時避暑中心。

I've always focused on the twin problems of sustainability and fairness.

我專注於永續及公平 這兩項密切相關的問題。

I think cooling gets at the heart of these challenges.

我認為冷卻是這兩項挑戰的核心。

Why?

為什麼？

Well, because most wealthy people can stay cool.

因為絕大多數的有錢人 都有辦法維持涼爽。

They often live in wealthy, leafy suburbs

他們通常住在富裕、 綠樹成蔭的郊區，

with an air conditioner and a generator out back,

家裡有冷氣機，還有發電機在後院，

and they have cool offices,

而且他們有涼快的辦公室、

cool schools and hospitals.

涼快的學校及醫院。

But many people on low income live and work in urban concrete jungles

但是很多低收入的人 在城市混凝土叢林中生活和工作，

void of green space and shade,

沒有綠地及樹蔭，

or live in rural areas well beyond the cold chains needed for produce

或是住在偏鄉，

疫苗及農產品冷鏈到不了的地方。

and vaccines.

Almost a billion people live without energy access today;

今天有將近十億人口 還住在無法取得能源的地方；

billions more live without access to reliable energy;

數十億人住的地方 沒有穩定的能源供應；

and 2.3 billion can only afford

23 億人口只買得起

a highly inefficient or polluting air conditioner.

效率極低或污染極高的冷氣機。

These people’s quest for sustainable energy,

這些人對永續能源、

for cooling,

涼爽、

for comfort,

舒適、

for cold chain,

冷鏈、

for a healthy diet or better health care,

健康的飲食或更好的醫療

can drive a virtuous circle

等等的需求，可以帶動良性循環，

where we can provide cooling for everyone without warming the planet.

讓我們能為每一個人提供冷卻， 卻不使地球變暖。

Entrepreneurs with new technologies are emerging everywhere.

擁有新技術的企業家到處都在湧現。

Framework agreements guiding government action are in place,

架構協議引導政府行動到位，

and there are big and new commitments being made.

而且做出又大又新的承諾。

The solutions go well beyond just fixing air-conditioning.

這些解方不僅止於修冷氣。

The solutions range from city design to architecture,

這些解方含括都市設計、建築、

from building materials to appliances,

建材、家電、

from geoengineering to green roofs.

地質工程到綠化屋頂。

The solutions can be high-tech,

解方可以是高科技，

they can be low-tech,

也可以是低技術，

and there are four areas of promise,

而且有四個方面的承諾，

four areas where solutions could be transformative

四個方面的解決方案極具變革性，

if we step up to the plate,

只要我們願意挺身而出，

prioritize, regulate and invest.

優先處理、監管和投資。

We’ll go through them one by one.

我們就來一項一項看。

First, we need to build and design differently for cooling.

首先，我們需要 打造及設計不同的空調。

For the last 70 years or more,

過去七十多年來，

air-conditioning has driven building design.

空調主導建築設計。

We need to change that,

我們需要改變這點，

and we need to move away from hermetically sealed concrete

而且我們需要擺脫密封的混凝土

and glass boxes where you can switch on an air conditioner

及玻璃盒的想法， 因為這樣我們只能打開空調，

but you cannot open the window.

卻不能開窗。

You know it doesn’t have to be a window rattler as a solution.

你可知道嘎嘎響的窗型冷氣 不是唯一的解決方法？

區域冷氣供應系統

District cooling can provide cooling solutions for building complexes

在大樓的絕緣管線內流水， 替綜合大樓區降溫。

by running water through insulated pipes.

And in Denmark,

在丹麥，

better known for its wind and its rain,

以風雨聞名，

district cooling provides,

區域冷卻系統

with a combination of heat pumps, wastewater and groundwater,

以結合熱泵、廢水及地下水的方式，

cooling solutions for offices and homes.

為辦公大樓及住家提供冷卻方案。

And we can make roofs cool, too.

我們也可以讓屋頂降溫。

The race is on for the brightest, whitest paint

現在大家在比誰能做出 最亮最白的塗料，

that reflects 98 percent of sunlight that hits its surface,

可反射 98% 照射到屋頂的陽光，

much better than the 80 to 90 percent we achieve today.

比我們現有的 80% 到 90% 更好。

And if not white then green.

如果不漆成白色，那就綠化吧！

Green because they’re planted with gardens and vegetables,

綠化是透過種植花草蔬菜，

also contributing to the food that has to come from urban farming.

如此一來還能貢獻 來自都市農業的食物。

Roofing materials matter, too.

屋頂建材也很重要。

In India, modular roofing panels made from paper and waste wood

在印度，以紙及廢木料做的屋頂模板

can reduce the temperatures by up to 10 degrees centigrade

可以讓下面的房屋

in the homes below.

降溫攝氏 10 度。

And we can change windows, too.

我們還可以改變窗戶。

In the European Union,

在歐盟有能控制日光的窗戶，

solar control glass is available that provides high daylight transmission,

不僅高透光、

thermal insulation,

隔熱、

transparency

透明，

and low reflection.

而且低反射。

Second, we need to make cooling hyperefficient.

其次，我們需要做超高效冷卻系統。

In the developed world,

在已開發國家，

if you buy a high-end air conditioner today,

如果你今天買一台高階的空調，

it’s probably 25 to 50 percent more efficient

應該會比十年前買的冷氣

than anything you could have bought 10 years ago.

節能 25% 到 50%。

Now we need every air conditioner for sale everywhere

現在，我們需要讓每一個地方、 每一台待售的冷氣機，

to be at least 50 percent more efficient than the most efficient air conditioner

都比市場上現有最高效能的空調

on the market today.

還高 50% 的效能。

It helps if we think of energy efficiency as our first fuel.

如果我們把節能 想成我們首選的燃料會有幫助。

That’s not the priority we give it in policy.

那卻不是我們施政的優先事項。

We need much more of our economic activity

我們需要更多的經濟活動

to be covered by energy efficiency standards

能符合比今天的能源效率標準

that are much tougher than today’s.

還更嚴格的標準。

Radical efficiency is important for heating too.

極佳的效率對暖氣也很重要。

Heating accounts for most emissions from building,

供暖佔建築的排放量很大比例，

but emissions from cooling are the fastest rising.

但是冷氣的排放量也在快速增加。

So we need much more synergy between heating and cooling.

所以我們需要更多 冷暖氣間的協同作用。

Remember the alley behind the convenience store?

還記得便利商店後面那個小巷子嗎？

High-efficiency energy pumps will be solutions for both.

高效能的熱泵就是兩者的解方。

Third,

第三，

we need our air-conditioning to be hydrofluorocarbon or HFC-free.

我們需要沒有氫氟碳化物的冷氣機。

In 2016, governments agreed to phase down the production

2016 年，各國政府同意要逐漸減少

and the consumption of polluting HFCs,

生產及使用氫氟碳化污染物，

a refrigerant that accelerates global warming.

那是加速全球暖化的冷媒。

That agreement, the Kigali Amendment,

此項修正案，稱為吉加利修正案，

is now ratified by 125 countries and the European Union,

現已獲得 125 個國家和歐盟的批准，

including China,

包括中國，

the largest producer of air-conditioning.

世界最大的冷氣機製造國；

India,

印度，

a growing producer and a big consumer,

成長中的製造國及大消費國，

has agreed to follow suit.

也同意要照做。

And while not a party to the agreement --

美國雖然還不是此修正案的一員，

yet --

還不是，

the United States announced in September 2021

已經於 2021 年九月宣布

a new regulation that would insist

一項新規定，堅持要求

that US manufacturers reduce HFCs by 85 percent

美國的製造商減少 85% 氫氟碳化合物的產量，

in the next 15 years.

在未來 15 年達標。

Now what’s interesting is that there are existing,

有意思的是目前市場上

emissions-free,

已經有零排放、

non-polluting technologies

無污染的科技，

on the market today,

ready to go to scale,

可以量產，

including membrane technologies that can both cool and dehumidify air

包括膜技術，可以同時降低 空氣的溫度及濕度，

without using compressors or refrigerants.

無需使用壓縮機或冷媒。

So the Kigali Amendment,

所以吉加利修正案，

together with a ban on the exports and imports of illegal HFCs,

連同非法 HFC 出口及進口的禁令，

could make a real difference

可以帶來真正的改變，

and grow that market fast.

並快速發展該市場。

And fourth, we need cold chains for food, medicines --

第四，我們需要讓食品 及藥物的冷鏈──

especially vaccines --

特別是疫苗──

for everyone.

普及至每一個人。

Distributing vaccines along a secure cold chain

透過安全的冷鏈分配疫苗

to reach the most vulnerable

給最弱勢的團體

is essential.

是至關重要的。

Solar, nontoxic vaccine refrigerators,

能利用離網能源運轉的太陽能、

cold boxes and carriers operating on off-grid energy

無毒的疫苗冰箱、冷藏箱及運輸貨車

are increasingly on order.

愈來愈多。

And mobile cold storage units that run on solar convert energy into ice.

還有靠太陽能 將能量轉成冰的流動冰庫。

And so when the sun goes down,

所以當太陽下山，

that ice can be used to keep temperatures steady and cool.

那些冰就可以讓溫度穩定和涼爽。

And using Bluetooth technology,

使用藍芽科技，

even in areas where there is no energy access,

即使在無法取得能源的地方，

we can monitor all the way along the cold chain to guarantee safety.

我們可以全程監控冷鏈，確保安全。

And using drones,

用無人機，

we can shorten the cold chain.

我們可以縮短冷鏈。

Today, change is often portrayed as expensive or scary,

今天，改變常被描繪為昂貴或可怕，

but you can see that there’s nothing scary

但是你們可以看到這一點都不可怕，

about living in a community designed for cool,

住在設計涼爽的社區，

where affordable,

裡面附有價錢合理、

efficient,

高效能、

nontoxic air-conditioning and refrigerators run on clean energy,

靠清潔能源運轉的無毒冷氣及冰箱，

on and off the grid,

接公共電網或離網都可；

and in a community where farmers get more income

住在農夫能賺更多錢的社區，

because more of their produce gets to market

因為他們能銷更多的 農產品到市場上；

and everyone rests easier

每個人都更放心，

knowing that their vaccines are safely stored in the clinic --

因為他們的疫苗安全存放在診所裡──

a clinic which, with a different roof

診所有不一樣的屋頂，

and different glass in the windows,

不一樣的窗戶玻璃，

is safer for the nurse to work in.

護士在裡面工作會更安全。

What is scary is that we are not having enough conversations

可怕的是我們沒有足夠的對話，

in enough places

在足夠多的地方，

and driving enough investments

沒有投入足夠的資金

into affordable, nonpolluting, efficient solutions for cooling

到可負擔、無污染、 高效能的冷卻解決方案，

for everyone on this warming planet.

給這個暖化地球上的每一個人用。

Scientists are seeing that animals,

科學家已經看到動物

especially birds,

尤其是鳥類，

are beginning to shape-shift to adapt to climate change.

已經開始變形以適應氣候變遷。

As their environments get hotter --

隨著牠們的環境愈來愈熱，

so their ears are growing

牠們的耳朵也跟著變大，

and their beaks are growing to help them cool down.

牠們的喙也在變大， 以幫助牠們降溫。

Now our species is not shapeshifting yet,

現在我們這個物種還沒有變形，

nor do I think bigger ears will help.

耳朵變大我想也沒什麼用。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But we can shape-shift our cities and our towns,

但是我們可以讓我們的市鎮變形，

and we can change the way that we cool ourselves down

我們可以改變我們降溫的方法，

and we can change the way that we keep our medicines and food safe.

我們可以改變我們 讓藥品及食物保持安全的方法。

Thank you.

謝謝大家。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌聲及歡呼聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）