The Ocean's Ingenious Climate Solutions | Susan Ruffo | TED Countdown

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

So what do you think of when you think of the ocean?

當你想到海的時候會想到什麼？

Maybe you think of a visit to the beach

或許你會想到要去海邊走走？

or whales or sharks or coral reefs?

還是鯨魚？鯊魚？珊瑚礁？

I think of this.

我想到這個。

This is the San Juan Islands in Washington state.

這是華盛頓州的聖胡安群島。

They jut out of an expanse of deep dark water,

它們是深邃海水的延伸，

and they're filled with life and mystery and opportunity.

充滿了生命、神秘和機會。

But whatever you think of, the ocean is much more.

不論你想到的是什麼， 海洋都不只如此。

It is a complex physical, chemical and biological system

它是一種複雜的物理、 化學及生物系統，

that takes up 70 percent of our planet.

佔了地球的 70%。

And yet we're still really just beginning to understand it.

而我們才剛剛開始認識它。

What we do know

我們已知的是，

is that the ocean is a vital part of our life support system on the planet.

海洋是我們在地球上維生的重要部分。

It produces at least 50 percent of the oxygen that we breathe.

我們呼吸的氧氣 至少有 50% 是由海洋產生 。

So more than one in every two breaths.

每兩次呼吸就有超過一口氧氣 是來自海洋。

It also regulates temperature for the planet.

它也調節地球的溫度。

So without the ocean, the poles would be unbearably cold

沒有海洋，兩極就會冷到難以忍受，

and the equator would be unbearably hot,

而赤道會熱到難以忍受，

and it would be a lot harder to live here.

就會更難在這裡生活。

Now we think about saving the ocean from plastic or from oil and oil spills

現在我們在思考要拯救海洋： 無論是塑膠、油、海上漏油，

or from overfishing.

還是過度捕撈。

But really, we should be thinking about how the ocean is saving us.

但是我們真的應該想的 是海洋怎麼拯救我們。

And what is it saving us from?

海洋讓我們從哪裡脫困？

It's saving us from the climate change that we are creating.

它把我們從我們創造的 氣候變遷中脫困。

Essentially, ourselves.

本質上，就是我們自己。

And so what does that mean?

什麼意思呢？

Basically, what we need to do is think about not how to save the ocean,

基本上，我們需要做的就是 不要思考如何拯救海洋，

but instead how the ocean can actually help us

而是思考海洋要怎麼幫助我們

in this fight against climate change.

對抗氣候變遷。

Already, the ocean is absorbing 25 to 30 percent of the CO2

海洋已經吸收了 25-30%

我們釋放到大氣層的二氧化碳。

that we release into the atmosphere.

It is the world's largest carbon sink.

它是世界上最大的碳匯。

The ocean has also absorbed 90 percent of the excess heat

海洋也已經吸收了 90%

被溫室氣體困住的多餘熱能。

trapped by greenhouse gases.

So it is basically helping to keep the planet habitable,

所以它在幫助地球保持宜居狀態，

at least for now.

至少現在如此。

And yet, when we think about climate action

然而當我們思考氣候行動

and climate strategies and climate plans,

及氣候策略及氣候計畫時，

we often overlook the ocean and leave it out,

我們經常忽略海洋並將之排除在外，

because somehow we think that saving the ocean

因為我們總認為拯救海洋

is something else we have to do,

是另一件我們該做的事，

not a core part of our climate strategy.

但是不屬於氣候策略的核心部分。

And that's what has to change

我們必須改變這一點，

because the ocean is a core part of our climate system,

因為海洋是氣候系統的核心部分，

and so it has to be a core part of our climate solutions.

所以它也必須是氣候解方的核心部分。

So what does that actually mean?

這到底意味著什麼？

Well, for starters, we know that the ocean is already doing a lot for us.

首先，我們知道海洋 已經為我們做了很多事，

So the first thing we do need to do to save the ocean to save ourselves

所以我們要拯救海洋以拯救我們自己 該做的第一件事

is to actually reduce emissions.

就是實際減少排放。

I don't think anyone here would disagree with that.

我不認為在座的各位會不同意。

But that still sounds like the ocean is a victim in the story,

但這聽起來海洋仍然像是 故事中的受害者，

and really the ocean can and should be a hero in this story.

實際上海洋可以也應該 是這個故事的英雄。

The ocean can provide us with solutions to help us reduce those emissions,

海洋可以提供解決方案 幫助我們減少排放量，

and it can also help us to adapt

也可以幫助我們適應

to this new climate reality that we've created.

我們創造出的這個新的氣候現實。

So how does that happen?

所以該怎麼做呢？

Well, essentially the first thing we need to do

基本上我們要做的第一件事

is to make sure that we keep all of these systems working

就是確保這些系統能正常運作，

and protect the systems that are protecting us.

並保護正在保護我們的系統。

Because all of that CO2 and heat that the ocean is absorbing

因為海洋吸收二氧化碳及熱能

is actually coming at a cost.

是要付出代價的。

The ocean is warming and rising and acidifying,

海洋正在暖化、上升及酸化，

and we even have evidence now

我們現在甚至可以證明

that we're changing the basic circulation of the ocean,

我們正在改變海洋的基本環流，

which changes the way it regulates temperature.

這改變了它調節溫度的方法。

So the first thing we need to do is really just protect those systems

所以我們要做的第一件事 就是真的要保護這些

that are protecting us.

正在保護我們的系統。

But how do we more actively engage the ocean

但是我們如何更積極地

in our climate strategies?

將海洋納入我們的氣候策略中？

What can we do to really use the ocean to help us reduce emissions

我們到底要怎麼做才能讓海洋 真正幫助我們減少排放

and to adapt to the impacts of climate change?

並適應氣候變遷的衝擊？

What does that practically look like?

在實務操作上看起來會是什麼樣子？

Well, we know that coastal ocean ecosystems

我們知道沿岸海洋生態系統

like mangroves or seagrasses or salt marshes

像紅樹林、海草或鹽沼

are some of the most effective carbon sinks on the planet.

是地球上極有效率的碳匯系統。

Acre for acre, they can absorb 10 times more carbon than a forest on land.

同樣是一英畝大小，它們比地上的森林 多吸收十倍以上的碳。

And that carbon is very deep in the soils

而且那個碳存在很深的土壤中，

so that it can stay there for thousands of years

所以會在那裡留數千年，

if we leave it undisturbed.

只要我們不去動它。

The problem is that we’re not leaving it undisturbed;

問題就是我們會動它；

we are destroying these places.

我們正在摧毀這些地方。

We’ve lost 20 to 50 percent of them already,

我們已經損失了 20-50%，

and we lose more every year.

這數字還在逐年增加。

And all of that is creating emissions.

這些都在製造排放。

But if we protect those places, then those emissions stop.

但是如果我們保護這些地方， 就會停止這種排放。

Just like if you shut off a coal-fired power plant.

就像你關掉一座燃煤發電廠一樣。

And if we restore those places,

而且如果你能復育那些地方，

then we can actually absorb even more carbon.

那我們就可以實際增加碳吸收。

But the power of the ocean isn't limited just to reducing emissions.

但是海洋的能力不僅限於減少排放。

The ocean can also help us to adapt to the impacts of climate change

海洋還可以幫助我們適應

我們已經感受到的氣候變遷的衝擊，

we already feel

and that we know will be here with us for decades.

以及我們知道未來數十年 一定會發生的衝擊。

Those same mangroves can actually protect coastal communities

同樣的紅樹林還可以保護沿岸社區，

by buffering them against more intense coastal storms

因為它們能緩衝更強烈的沿岸暴風，

and slowing wind and waves.

減低風速及海浪。

Another example, oysters.

另外舉個例子，牡蠣。

In New York City, they're using oysters

紐約市正在利用牡蠣

to help reduce the risk of major floods and flood damage

減低大洪水的風險和洪水帶來的損失，

like they saw during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

像他們在 2012 年颶風珊迪看到的。

The idea is that these reefs form dense places

這個想法是這些牡蠣礁 形成非常密的區域，

that force water through nooks and crannies that slow it down.

迫使水通過各個小角落和縫隙， 減慢它的速度，

So by the time it hits the shore,

所以當水打到岸邊時，

it actually has less power and therefore can do less damage.

力量已經變小，因此可以減少損害。

And at the same time, they're creating aquatic parks

與此同時，他們還蓋水上公園

and places where people can gather and be with nature.

以及大家可以聚集的親水區。

Because the truth is that in this new climate reality that we've created,

因為事實是，在我們創造的 這個新的氣候現實，

we will have to learn how to live with water and with the ocean

我們必須學習如何與水及海洋

in new ways.

共存的新方法。

And so what better ways to do that than with the creatures

所以還有什麼更好的方法，可以勝過

that actually have evolved to live in these land and sea interfaces?

利用實際上已經進化生活在 這些陸地和海洋的交界處的物種？

And these are real solutions that are being implemented in real places

這些實際解決方案 都已經在真實的地方實施，

based on what we know about the ocean now.

也都是基於我們現在 對海洋的了解而設計的。

And yet the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

美國國家海洋暨大氣總署

of the United States

美國國家海洋暨大氣總署

estimates that 80 percent of the ocean is unmapped,

估計還有 80% 的海洋尚未繪製、

unexplored and unobserved.

未探索和未觀察到。

So there is so much more out there that we could be doing

所以我們為氣候解方能做的、

and thinking about as climate solutions,

能思索的還有很多，

and so much that we're just still getting our imaginations around.

我們只要繼續發揮我們的想像力。

For example,

例如，

what if we could actually harness the power

我們能不能實際利用

of the ocean's wind and waves and tides to produce power?

海洋的風、浪及潮汐來發電？

The International Energy Agency estimates

國際能源署估計

that offshore wind alone could produce enough energy for the Earth

僅離岸風力就可以為地球

and 17 other planets, carbon-free.

及其它 17 個行星 提供足夠的無碳能源。

And at the same time,

同時，

we could actually be providing power to coastal communities and islands

我們還能實際為

目前電網和電力系統未服務的 沿岸社區及島嶼提供電力。

that don't benefit from our current grids and systems.

And if we're really smart about it,

所以如果我們真的夠聰明，

we can plan and design these systems so that we're creating artificial reefs

就可以計畫設計這種系統， 讓我們可以造礁，

that could support wildlife and aquaculture

這樣一來，野生動物得以維生， 也能支持水產養殖，

and help us grow food and sequester carbon

還能替我們增加糧食和封存碳，

and actually help the ocean instead of harm it.

並實際幫助海洋，而不是傷害它。

Or what if we could harness more of the ocean's biological power

我們能不能利用更多的海洋生物力量

to help us in this fight against climate change?

來幫助我們對抗氣候變遷？

For example, kelp.

例如海帶。

Kelp is one of the fastest-growing organisms on the planet.

海帶是地球上長得數一數二快的生物。

It can grow two feet per day.

它每天可以長兩尺。

What if we could actually restore the world's kelp forests

我們能不能復育全世界的海帶林，

and actually grow kelp at a scale

並大規模種植海帶，

that we could use all of that growing power

利用它生長的力量

to help us sequester carbon?

來幫助我們封存碳？

Now, that's likely to be a lot cheaper

這可能會比

than trying to deploy human-made technologies

嘗試部署人造科技

out into the middle of the ocean

到海中央

to sequester carbon.

封碳還便宜。

And it's likely to be a lot less risky than changing the ocean's chemistry

而且可能比改變海洋的化學

or engineering the ocean,

或海洋工程的風險還小，

because we'd actually be working with the natural systems

因為我們是與大自然系統合作，

instead of against them.

而不是與之抗衡。

And we'd probably have a lot of kelp left over

而且我們很有可能會剩很多海帶，

that we could use to feed ourselves and feed animals

可以拿來吃或餵動物，

and create plastic alternatives

創造塑膠替代物，

that would also help us to lower our footprint on the planet.

來幫助我們降低碳足跡。

And this is just a sampler of the types of solutions

這還只是海洋能提供

that the ocean has to offer for the climate crisis.

氣候危機解方類型的一個例子。

The key is that we have to think about the ocean as a source of solutions

重點是我們必須視海洋為解方的來源，

that we can be using and enlist it in this fight.

讓我們可以在這場戰鬥中使用。

And these aren't easy solutions.

這些都不是簡單的解決方案。

The time for that has passed.

要簡單為時已晚。

We don't have any easy solutions left.

我們已經沒有簡單的解方了。

And these aren't excuses for not doing other things,

但是這不該成為不做其他事的藉口，

these are not silver bullets.

這些都不是高招。

So we still have to do the hard work

所以我們仍然需要努力

of reducing and getting rid of fossil fuels,

減少及擺脫石化燃料，

and we still have to do the hard work of making sure

我們仍然需要努力確保

that the most vulnerable among us will be able to adapt and thrive

我們當中最弱勢的人還能夠

在新氣候現實中適應並成長茁壯。

in the new climate reality.

But the ocean is a powerful source of solutions

但海洋是強大的解決方案的來源，

that we've overlooked for far too long.

是我們忽略已久的。

And so we need to think

所以我們必須思索

about how we really integrate it into our strategies now.

要如何將其真正整合入我們的策略中。

And that comes down to a fundamental change in mindset,

歸根究底就是要徹底改變思維，

which is instead of thinking about how we save the ocean,

不再思索我們如何拯救海洋，

we should be thinking about how we can help the ocean save us.

而是思索要如何幫助海洋拯救我們。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）